Coincidence
by HLecter511
Summary: (Under Construction-BEING REDONE) Whether it was coincidence or not, a piece of Hannibal past had came back to haunt him. He found himself in a hole where he was trying to figure out if this was a second chance to get it right or will he mess up and have a repeat of his childhood.
1. Chapter 1: Redone

*****Before I close it down, check out the POLL that I had posted. It has to do with the next story that will be posted! Please Vote! Thanks! *****

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***Updated/Redone as of 1/8/16***

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**Chapter: **Coincidence?

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…**..Nighttime: …..**

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No clouds were in the dark navy blue night sky. Only the shiny diamond images of the stars. The moon was full tonight and hung high in the night sky. Various sounds emerged in different locations of the woods where a long curvy road split right on through this nature.

On this back road was a black supercharge Bentley Arnage smoothly driving along and easily going around the curves of the road with perfect precision.

Soft classical music of Bach was playing over the luxurious interior of the Bentley. Black leather cover glove hands gripped the wood style steering wheel with gentle care. The driver's window was only a pinch open to allow fresh air to drift throughout the vehicle.

As the Bentley went around yet another bend, something suddenly appeared out of the darkness twenty feet up ahead. Immediately, the foot came off the gas and slammed on the breaks.

The sudden hard slam of the breaks caused the Bentley to shake side to side then came to a stop in front of whatever was in the road.

The Bentley had stopped before a 4ft figure with only less than ten feet of room between the car and the small figure. Tiny arms were in front of the face of the figure, protecting themselves from the headlights of the Bentley, but the arms were slowly lower to show a little girl.

Obviously it was unusual for a little girl to be out in the middle of the road at night and in the middle of a vast forest area.

Putting the car in park, unbuckling the seatbelt and then pushing open the driver's door, the driver stepped out of the Bentley and stood behind their door, staring at the little girl with curious mahogany color eyes. The little girl stared right back with blue eyes.

As the driver took in the sight of the little girl, their eyes rested on the blood on the front of the little girl's light blue princess pajamas. Slowly, the driver made his way over to the little girl, but paused in their step as the little girl took a few steps back with fear clear across her face.

Slowly, the driver raised their hands in the air to show that he will not bring any sort of harm to her.

"I'm not here to hurt you. What's your name?" The driver softly asked, deciding to break the ice somehow.

"Mischa."

Instantly, the driver felt themselves to tense up and eyes narrowed on the girl. Their eyes must've been sharp as the little girl took another step back and was visibly shaking.

"Mischa. That's a beautiful name. I'm Dr. Hannibal Lecter." He soften his expression after seeing how this Mischa stepped away from him.

"You're a doctor? Then you can help mommy." Mischa eyes brighten up once she heard the word 'doctor.' She immediately ran up to him, grabbed hold of his hand and began to drag him off to the side of the room.

"Mommy, Mischa?" Hannibal asked as he stared down at the top of the head of the little girl's head, her milk chocolate brown color hair was waist long and gliding behind her as she moved.

"Yes! She got hurt protecting me."

Being dragged off the road and down a small decline of a hill, Mischa led Hannibal over to a tree where there was a woman against the base of the tree in an unconscious state. Micha let go of his hand to stand near her mother as Hannibal walked closer and he knelt down beside the woman.

First things first, he checked her pulse and he found that her heart was beating strong. Next, he lifted her eyelids to check her eyes and he used his cellphone light to flash into her eyes. There was no concussion to be seen. After that, Hannibal tucked his cellphone away to begin observing her appearance to see bruises and small cuts formed on her slender yet built body.

"Mischa, what happen to your mommy?"

"Daddy and mommy not together anymore for a while. He hurts mommy because she won't let him hurt me. Daddy was in a loony bin as my mommy's friend said. But he escaped." Mischa explained to Hannibal, reaching out to him and she grabbed a hold of his pant leg as he stood up.

Hannibal eyes flickered down to the little girl that grabbed his pant leg. She stared back up at him with innocent blue eyes.

What he saw in this little girl was his late little sister, who was also named Mischa. The only difference between the two Mischa's was that this little girl holding his pant leg had light brown hair and Hannibal's late sister had dirty blonde hair. However, all of this, this little girl, it was odd to him. Was this some sort of joke of teasing him about his late sibling that he loved very much? Or was this some sort of sign?

"Don't let him get us." Mischa whispered to Hannibal with a frown appearing onto her lips.

"I won't." Hannibal said without even thinking about why he said it.

He found himself mentally slapping himself at not thinking about this. But this little girl looking like a replicate of his late sister, expect the hair, and was getting to him. Usually, he locked those feelings away, but this time, it was leaking out of him.

Bending down at the knees, Hannibal slipped one arm underneath the knees and one arm underneath the back of the woman. When he stood back up, he realized how light this woman was.

Mischa had readjusted her grip on his pant leg and she held on as she quickly moved with him back to his Bentley.

When they got to the Bentley, Hannibal manage to open up the back door and he set the woman on the ground so that he could grab a blanket from the trunk to put across the backseat. Once the blanket was laid out across the light tan leather seats, Hannibal carefully laid the woman across those seats.

Shutting the backdoor, Hannibal noted that Mischa already made herself comfortable in the front seat and was buckle in. For her age and size, Hannibal knew that she shouldn't be in the front seat and she should be in a booster seat, but at the moment, her mother was laid out across the whole backseat.

Driving again, Hannibal lowers the classical music and would glance over at Mischa, who was glancing at him too.

"What type of doctor are you?"

"A psychiatrist."

"What's that?" Mischa stared at him with wide intrigued eyes causing Hannibal to grin a bit. He could see this little girl was a bright one and liked to learn new things.

"Someone who listens to people's problems and then I try to help them sort it out."

"Can you help mommy?"

"What's wrong with mommy, Mischa?"

"Well, she seems to be sad all the time. Mommy used to sing all the time. Even went to school for it. But he came along."

"Your daddy?" Hannibal asked, glancing at the little girl that was nodding her head and staring down at her tiny hands in her lap.

"He hurts her cause she saves me. I want him to stop." Mischa whispers, clenching her tiny fists before bringing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

Seeing Mischa like this, Hannibal didn't like her upset. He didn't know if he was starting to feel obligated to help these two women because of the little girl having the same name as his late little sister and looking like her or he was feeling nice today.

"How old are you Mischa?"

"Four."

That made Hannibal to shut his eyes only for a second and breath heavily out of his nose. Opening his eyes back up, he kept his eyes forwards on the road while thinking how Mischa was the same age of when his late sister was killed.

Hannibal was beginning to believe that this was a message or coincidence. He isn't religious or superstitions, but at this moment, he was thinking about going on a little faith here.

"What's your mommy's name, Mischa?"

"Anastasia Mischa Cerise. She told me that her grandma name was Mischa. So, my nana put Mischa as mommy's middle name. Then mommy had me and named me Mischa. Neat huh?"

"Yes, very neat…too much." Hannibal mumbles the last part while slowing up the Bentley as he came to a stop sign.

Turning right, the woodies area was slowly disappearing and houses were starting to past by now.

After ten minutes, Hannibal arrived at his two story brick style home. Shutting off the Bentley, Hannibal glance in the rear view mirror to see the woman named Anastasia Mischa Cerise was still unconscious. Glancing to the passenger seat, Hannibal let out a slight annoyed sigh as Mischa was sleeping now. Though, his eyes soften at Mischa curl up in the seat and she looked peacefully content.

First, Hannibal unlocks the house then went back to the Bentley to get Mischa first. He brought her to one of the three guest bedrooms he has in his house. Next, Hannibal went and got Anastasia, holding her bridal style as he carries her into the same guest bedroom as Mischa.

He knew that a mother would want to wake up with her child. It was a paternal instinct to sense and protect their blood, their kin.

Standing at the end of the queen size bed, Hannibal glance in between the two females and knew that they both need to be wash up. But also, Anastasia needs her injuries to be look at and clean up a bit.

Hands in his suit pant pockets, Hannibal couldn't believe what just took place. Two females with his late sister's name either in their name or for the little girl's case, is her name. Hearing Mischa talking about Anastasia protecting her and how the daddy was in the 'loony bin' as she referred, Hannibal felt he needs to protect them. Maybe it was the fact that he couldn't save his little sister when he was a young boy. Now, that these two females appear in his life, he felt that he had another chance to protect and make things right.

As Hannibal turn to leave the room, he heard movement making him to pause in the doorway and glance back to see Mischa sitting up in bed and staring at him.

"I smell. Can I have a bath please?"

This was going to be a long night was going through Hannibal's head as he force a smile onto his lips and nods his head.

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**Disclaimer for this chapter and future chapters: **I don't own anything about the _Hannibal_ Series. What I do own are my original characters Anastasia/Mischa Cerise.

Thank You!


	2. Chapter 2: Redone

**Chapter: **Fear No More

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…**.. The Next Morning: …..**

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Eyes fluttering open, pale green eyes stared up at a dark ceiling and began to scan around at the ceiling surrounding. Not familiarized with this ceiling that caused to immediately sit up with wide eyes. The eyes began to waver to adjust to the lighting and focus on everything around. Eyes frantically began to search around the unknown bedroom for the most important aspect of this individual's life.

"Mischa? Mischa, where are you?" The woman pushed herself out of the comfort and warmth of the queen size bed.

Slowly sliding out of the bed, she had a small limp as she cautious moved around the bedroom for any signs of her daughter.

"Mischa?"

"Mommy?"

The woman span on her heels to immediately kneel down as her four year old daughter came running over to her and straight into the woman's arms.

"Mischa, where are we?"

"A doctor helped us and brought us to his home. He's making breakfast and he left a note in the bathroom for you." Mischa told her as she pulled away to stare up into her mother's face.

Slowly, the woman stood back up with Mischa in her arms until she set Mischa onto the bed.

"Don't leave this room. I'm just going to the bathroom."

Mischa sat on the edge of the bed, bouncing her feet against the side of the bed while her mother went into the connected on bathroom.

Entering the connected on bathroom, she looked up into the mirror over the sink. Instantly, her right hand clapped over her mouth to hold back a gasp.

Even though her injuries were cleaned up, the bruises and cuts were still visible across her skin. There was a light color bruise on her right cheekbone from the result of an almost full contact punch. Then there were bruises and scratches trailing up and down her arms and legs. She knew that she had bruised ribs from trying to block out punches and the kicks.

Dropping her eyes from the mirror, she noticed a small note on the sink. Picking it up, she read the note which stated that she should take a shower and that there was clothes left out for her. That the clothes might be a bit big, but at least it was clothes.

Stripping out of the ripped dress, she turn on the shower and quickly got in, not caring if it was hot yet. She just needed to get the grime off of her.

Her eyes flicker down to stare at the shower tile floor to watch as dirt and dried blood mixed together to swirl down the drain. Anything that was on the shower shelves within her reach, she used. To smell nice again and to feel refresh again was the only thing on her mind at this moment.

Once all done clearing, she dried up and moved out of the shower to grab ahold of the neat folded clothes off the top of a laundry basket to slip those on.

Tying the drawstrings to the blue and black plaid pajama pants tight around her waist. Next, she pulled on a male's black t-shirt over her torso. All clothes, she looked up to stare into the mirror over the sink again now that she was clean. The clothes were large on her slender frame and were long, making her to know that whoever this doctor was, he was a tall and in-shape sort of man.

Moving away from the mirror, she began to go back into the bedroom that she woke up in.

"Alright, Mischa let—Mischa?" She paused in the doorway when she didn't see her daughter present in the bedroom.

This made her to go into panic mode and as quick as possible, moved toward the bedroom door that was slightly ajar open.

Opening the door, poking her head out to look up and down the dark hallway, she slowly stepped out of the bedroom and into the hallway. Pausing in step when she heard clinging of metal coming from down the hallway. Moving into that direction, she found stairs were she could smell something delicious wafting up the stairs and causing her stomach to growl for food.

Grabbing ahold of the wood stair railing and walking on her toes on the carpet stairs, she began to descend down the stairs. Her grip on the railing a death grip as she could hear voices coming from the kitchen. The sound of Mischa's voice then a soft accent male's voice made her to move down the steps quicker.

At the end of the stairs, her eyes found the surroundings of a nicely decorated kitchen. But instead of taking in the kitchen, her eyes were instantly on the man that was behind the stove, flipping what look like a pancake in the air.

As if sensing her, his eyes shot up to stared directly at her with amber hazel color eyes. The sunlight coming through the glass door behind him caused a glow to outline his body and his dark bronze hair to have a shine to it as if his hair was a dark gold color.

"Mommy!" Mischa jumped down from a chair that was pulled up to the kitchen island to run over to her.

Stepping off the last step, she bent down to pick up the four year old and hold her close while keeping her cautious eyes on the man. Her body began to tense up as the man shut off the stove with a click and slowly began to make his way around the kitchen island.

"Mommy, this is the doctor that saved us."

"I see that, Mischa." She lowly whispered, eyes still trained on the man.

"Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Your daughter told me that your name is Ms. Anastasia Cerise." The man introduced himself.

"Yes." Anastasia lowly answered as she took a small step back when Hannibal took a step into her direction.

Seeing how Anastasia reacted, Hannibal paused in his walking and he made himself get a soft expression across his face. Though he knew that he had to be cautious around Anastasia as it was obvious that she went through a traumatic time. By staring into her eyes, Hannibal could refer her as an injured animal that will still put up a vicious fight to protect her kin.

"I didn't know if you wanted me to call the hospital or doctor for you." Hannibal told her.

"No, don't. He'll find out somehow or get through security."

"I suppose the he that you're referring to is your ex-husband."

"Yes." Anastasia nodded with her reply.

Slowly bending down, Anastasia set Mischa down, but kept her hands on Mischa's shoulders to keep her close as she continue to keep her eyes on Hannibal.

"I'm not going to hurt your daughter or you." Hannibal assured her.

"I know you're not. But it's hard to trust again when it had been torn from you." Anastasia replied, glancing down at the top of her daughter's head and to hide the unshed tears that were building up.

This made Hannibal to have to opportunity to step closer to her as she wasn't looking. Sensing him move, her eyes shot up to stare him down, but he held up his right hand and gave her a reassuring grin.

"Well, I can start working on it with serving breakfast for your daughter and you. Mischa said you didn't like eggs, so I made apple crepes and bacon for you as Mischa said that was your favorite." Hannibal explained with a soft low tone before he made his way around the kitchen island again to plate the breakfast for the two females.

Plating the breakfast, Hannibal made his way into the dining room, gesturing with his head for the two ladies to follow him. They did so, Anastasia keeping her eyes on Hannibal as he set the plates down. Mischa hopped right into a chair and Anastasia hover around her while Hannibal moved around the table to not walk by her and made his way out of the dining room to make himself a plate.

"Mischa, did he do anything to you? Have you seen your father?" Anastasia began to ask the four year old once Hannibal wasn't in ears reach. She sat herself down beside Mischa, who was giving her a smile.

"No, he is nice. No bad daddy. Anni said he will not let bad daddy touch us."

"Anni?" Anastasia mumbled with a slight tilt of her head at the nickname.

"Your daughter found it easier to say Anni then Hannibal." Hannibal appeared back into the dining room saying.

Being startle by his sudden appearance, Anastasia left hand automatically grabbed the knife that was set by her plate and clenched it, ready to use if necessary.

Hannibal gently said 'sorry' as he eyed Anastasia hand on the knife and how her pale green eyes darken to a dark forest green. Making his way around to the head of the table, he sat himself down and laid his plate gentle in front of him. A mental note created in his head of how cautious and defensive Anastasia would get that it was almost animalistic.

"What sort of doctor are you, Dr. Lecter?" Anastasia lowly asked as she slowly cut into a crepe and then took a small bite. She shut her eyes for a few seconds at the flavor of the crepes tingling on her tongue before opening her eyes back up to look over at this Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

"I am a psychiatrist."

"He helps people, mommy." Mischa said just before she shoved a piece of crepe that Hannibal kindly cut up for her, into her mouth.

Hannibal gently smile at the four year old then looked over at Anastasia, who was staring down at her plate then looked at him with a blank expression.

"A psychiatrist." She mused to herself then went back to eating.

"If you need to talk to me, you can do so."

"I might take that offer. But I don't know how to pay you. You see, well, I will tell you afterwards." Anastasia glance over at a grinning Mischa eating then look at Hannibal.

Hannibal glanced at the four year old then at Anastasia before nodding. He knew that Anastasia didn't want to discuss about her situation in front of her daughter.

For the next half an hour, Anastasia and Hannibal would listen to Mischa talk about a dream that she had. Then Mischa would ask 'Anni' random questions, such as, what his favorite color was or what his favorite animal was. It was clear that answering Mischa's question brought happiness to the little girl, so Hannibal did so. To have her in a happy state was a great deal for what she must've gone through with her mother. But the way Mischa was happy, it made Hannibal to believe that Anastasia kept Mischa away from the horrible moments that she had gone through herself.

When breakfast was done, Anastasia silently offer to help Hannibal with cleaning up the plates and silverware. It was also a way for them to have a private chat. Therefore, Hannibal lend Mischa a few pieces of paper and pencils to color in the living room while Anastasia and Hannibal did the dishes.

"I'll dry." Hannibal softly said as he grabbed a kitchen towel.

Anastasia began to fill the sink up with lukewarm water. She gripped the edge of the sink as it began to fill up, her eyes staring straight at the wall in front of her before her eyes turned away from it to stare at Hannibal with clear tiredness.

"My ex-husband for two years has been in the Baltimore Criminally Insane Asylum right after our divorce. I had found out that he was a part-time serial killer." Anastasia explained with a dry tone toward the end of her sentence. She shook her head while shutting off the water as the sink was filled up enough. From there, she began to do the dishes while adding soap as she moved her hands around in the sink.

"Serial killer?" Now this information had peeked Hannibal's interest.

"He didn't have any sort of patterns. He would randomly kill whoever annoyed him or anyone who had eyed me up as he said."

"Sounds possessive."

"He was. Too much to the point that it turned physical." Anastasia lowly told him, pausing in wiping the dish before resuming after a couple of deep inhales and exhales through her mouth.

"When Mischa turn two, she was always running around the house with the brightest smile. I couldn't let that go away. So, when he started getting into his angry fits and was going to take it out on Mischa. I took it. I hid her and told her to stay hidden until I told her the safe word." Her hands were clenching the silverware, not realizing that she was slicing into her skin until the soapy water hit it causing it to sting.

Seeing the blood foaming, Hannibal set the kitchen towel down to grab a few sheets of paper towel to press against her hand. He set the silverware back into the sink water and pressed the paper towel to her palm while looking up to stare directly into her eyes.

Pale green eyes were sparkling and bright with unshed tears in them.

"There is restraining orders on him, but that won't do any good. He won't stop."

"Are you afraid?" Hannibal asked her, his eyes searching her own.

"I'm tire. I only fear for Mischa's safety more than anything." Anastasia answered, her eyes flickering back and forth as she continue to stare into his amber hazel eyes.

A tear had escaped the corner of her left eye and began to slowly trail down her cheek. Before the tear could finish its trail to the bottom of her face, Hannibal reached out and with a flick of his thumb, the tear was gone.

There was definitely something happing to him as he stared at Anastasia. It was also weird about the name of the daughter. It was as if it was a second chance to protect Mischa, his late sister. Though this time there were two females with Mischa a part of their names.

"You don't have to be afraid anymore, Ana. Not anymore. I guarantee you that."

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**Hi Everyone,**

**This chapter had been redone as of 3/8/2016.**

**Just a heads up. I am redoing this story, so certain scenes might change. The storyline might change too. So just a heads up if you notice a significant change in the storyline or different plot.**

**Thank You!**


	3. Chapter 3: Redone

**Chapter: **Stay a Little While

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…**.. Later in the Day: …..**

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It was weird to Hannibal to have others living in his home with him for a good amount of time. He had never had someone living with him like this before—other than him living with his aunt back when he was a teenager. But this was a mother and child living with him.

What might make it weird yet amusing to him was having a second shadow everywhere he went throughout his home. There were a few times that he felt himself being followed and he would glance over his shoulder to catch sight of a giggling Mischa trying to hide away from his view. At times, Hannibal even found himself grinning, which was unusual for him as he wasn't someone that joked around in this manner.

At the moment, Hannibal entered his study and he made his way to the bookcase that was built in the wall. As he grabbed a book to occupy him for an hour, he also began to wonder about the two females in his home, but also, they needed supplies.

Having a book in hand, Hannibal turned away from the bookshelf and took a step when he sense a presence near him. He took in a deep inhale where his sense of smell met the scent of roses. The mother scent smelled of fresh storm. The two females had refreshing and pleasant scents that didn't make him cringe or get a headache.

"Hmm, I wonder where Mischa is." Hannibal lowly said as he held the book in his right hand while he made his way over to a small table where he knew Mischa was hiding.

A soft giggle then an 'oops' had almost caused Hannibal to chuckle, but he refrained himself from doing so. He stood beside the table and he stared straight down at Mischa with a smirk. Mischa looked up at him with gentle blue green eyes and flashed him a smile.

"You found me!" Mischa threw her arms up in the air but then kept them up for Hannibal to pick her up.

Hannibal tilt his head to the side as he began to debate with himself on whether or not he should pick the child up. Never before had he picked up a child that wanted to be picked up. He never was around children. As he continue to stare down at Mischa, her smile was turning into a pout. Hannibal knew that he lost this battle now.

"Indeed, I did." Hannibal slowly knelt over to pick Mischa up and held her in his left arm as he walked over to an armchair near the fireplace where he sat himself down with Mischa.

"What book?"

"You mean, what am I reading?"

The little girl nodded her head as she looked away from the book to stare up at him with curious eyes.

"It has to do with human behavior compare to animals." Hannibal told her in a simple form for her to understand.

"No princesses?" Her blue green eyes were wide as she stared at him.

A chuckle couldn't help but to escape Hannibal at her question. He shook her head causing Mischa to pout once again at him and to add onto the pouting, she crossed her tiny arms over her chest.

"You shouldn't pout, Mischa. You don't want your face to get stuck like that." Hannibal told her as he reached up to poke her in the nose causing her to giggle.

"Mommy says the same thing." Mischa told with a one dimple smile.

Mischa leaned closer to him as Hannibal open the book up. It was clear that she wanted to see what was inside the book.

For the next ten minutes, Hannibal read softly out loud at Mischa's request. The feel of Mischa head dropping against his arm caused him to glance down to see her asleep.

When a sudden draft breeze came ghosting into the room, Hannibal shut his eyes as he took in a deep inhale of the scent that came in. He caught the scent of fresh rainfall.

Reopening his eyes, Hannibal eyes came in connection with Anastasia's eyes as she stood in the doorway of the room. The older Cerise female eyes pulled away from his to stare around the room and taking in her surroundings before she took a small step while making eye contact with him again.

"I see that she enjoys your company." Anastasia lowly said with her hands clasped together in front of her. She continue to take small cautious steps into the room and into his direction.

Hannibal kept his eyes trained on her. The way she presented herself and acted around him, he honestly wished that her cautiousness and fear would disappear soon. Underneath it all, he could see the strong woman that needed a small push to emerge from deep within. Though he also knew that it will take time for her to return in that strong woman state. For now, he will try to make that process go faster.

"Indeed." Hannibal glanced down at his arm at the sleeping Mischa. Her small body was curled up against his side and her head rested against his bicep.

"Do you wish for me to take her?" Anastasia asked as she slowly got closer to him until she stood a few feet in front of him.

"If you don't mind." Hannibal answered, eyeing Anastasia and taking her in.

When he took her in, he saw that she was in the same clothes. Realization struck Hannibal as Mischa and Anastasia needed clothes to wear. For they couldn't continue to wear the same clothes, or in Anastasia's case, his clothes.

While he was in his thoughts, Anastasia had taken the remaining steps up to him and reached out to pick up the sleeping four year old from him. As her hands brushed against Mischa that was when Hannibal took hold of one of her wrists in a gentle way. A gasp escaped her and her eyes shot up to meet his, wide with cautious and alertness.

"Wh—what are you doing?"

"I have come to realize that Mischa and you need clothes and other womanly necessities." Hannibal told her as he slowly let go of her wrist.

As he pulled his hand away, he made sure to drag his fingertips across her smooth skin. The caress had caused Anastasia to give off a small shiver at the sensation that Hannibal's warm fingers brought. A grin was on Hannibal's lips as he caught her shiver at his touch.

"Yes, everything is at the house." Anastasia told him as she made the move again to pick up Mischa and this time Hannibal let her do so.

"She wasn't a bother, was she?"

"No, don't worry about it. I enjoy Mischa company." Hannibal answered, not wanting the mother to think otherwise. For he wanted to be on her good side in order to take a step closer to her becoming that strong woman again.

Anastasia adjusted Mischa in her arms and she held Mischa close against her body in a protective manner. Hannibal could feel the protection wall that was put up around Mischa from Anastasia once the little girl was in her arms and she knew that she was safe there.

When Hannibal rose from the armchair, Anastasia tensed up and took a step away from him. Her eyes stayed on him as he moved with soft steps over to the bookshelf to set the book away that he had been reading.

"You know that I won't hurt you, Ana." Hannibal assured her as he noted how she had stepped away from him and how she kept her eyes on him at all times.

"I know. You have told me that before. But I have heard the same words before, but in a menace manner. And as I told you before, my trust was torn away from me." Anastasia explained, her eyes still strictly on Hannibal and they did not falter even as Hannibal began to make his way toward her. She held her ground for once as he came closer.

"Then let me help you regain trust by trusting me first." Hannibal told Anastasia with a small tilt of his head.

Staring deeply into his amber hazel eyes, Anastasia could see that he was telling the truth.

"Won't it be a nuisance to have Mischa and me here?"

"Some reason, it actually is pleasant to feel another presence in my home other than my own, especially coming home from work or somewhere else. Mischa and your presence are the only ones that I'll ever welcome into my home like this for once." Hannibal tucked his hands in his suit pant pockets as he admitted to Anastasia.

It was strange to admit this to a woman that he just met, but to have Mischa and her in the house, it brought this sense of light. In addition, it felt coincidental that Anastasia's daughter was named Mischa and her middle name was Mischa too.

"You only knew us for a couple days."

"And? It felt like forever, but it wasn't. But Ana, I feel as if I have an obligation to take care of Mischa and you." Hannibal told her next, seeing her eyes soften at his words.

"Don't push yourself into doing something that you don't want to—"Anastasia stopped herself from saying anymore when Hannibal took a step closer to her.

Hannibal pulled his right hand from his suit pant pocket to reach up to brush a strand of her hair behind her ear causing her to slightly tense up upon his bold move.

"Relax." Hannibal purred as he pulled his hand away with a small grin.

"It'll be a while for that to naturally happen."

"I know. That is why I am allowing your daughter and you to stay. For you to recover."

"No, no, you don't have t—"Anastasia once again stop herself from speaking anymore when Hannibal held his right hand up for her to stop speaking.

"I have made my decision. Now, you two go upstairs and rest."

"A-al-alright." Anastasia stuttered then left the room with Mischa in her arms.

There was no way that she was going to put up a fight against him, especially with how he had done so much for Mischa and her. It was amazement that struck her on how kind Hannibal was being to her. Yet, she felt that there was something more to the man that just his attractive looks and gentleman manners.

…**..**

His right hand ran through his hair, not caring that he messed up his hair style for the day. He was struck with how he just open his house up to two females that he had just met a couple days ago. But those two females had made him feel a twinge in his stomach that he hadn't felt forever. At the same time, the two females made him see a second chance of retribution for his late little sister, Mischa.

Moving over to the doorway, Hannibal made his way through the hallways of his home until he got into the foyer. From there, Hannibal made his way to the closet to pull on his light tan trench coat and he pulled out of the pocket of the coat a pair of black leather gloves that he slipped onto his hands. Stepping over to the small table that was in the foyer, he picked up his keys where he left them earlier and he left the house, locking the door up behind him.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

Anastasia sat on the edge of the bed as she stared down at her four year old daughter, peacefully sleeping. She gently ran her hand through her daughter's hair then turn her attention to looking out the window that showcased the backyard of Hannibal's home.

Thinking of whom home she was in, she thought of the home's owner.

The man that found Anastasia and her daughter had brought them back to his home and was taking care of them with the upmost courtesy that Anastasia thought that no one had anymore. But she knew that there were people like Hannibal out there, but after having an ex-husband like hers, she lost trust in people.

Pulling her hand away from Mischa's hair, Anastasia stood up from the bed and made her way over to the window. She stood there with her arms crossed over her chests in a manner as if she was protecting herself.

Her eyes went up to the sky and saw that the clouds were darkening. Anastasia looked behind her to see that had Mischa curl up into a ball, still peacefully sleeping. A small grin came on Anastasia's lips.

Anastasia was still wondering about Hannibal's courtesy of allowing them to stay. She had an odd feeling that he had a flaw. Because to her, Hannibal was too perfect that she could not or would not believe it.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

Pulling up a gravel driveway, Hannibal looked out of his car's windshield to stare at the two story modern Victorian home. It was a beautiful large home that Hannibal knew that the owners have a good amount of money to afford such a home.

Or in this case, Anastasia or her ex has money.

Hannibal figure out where she lived by remembering where he had found Mischa and her. The house was a mile away from the area that he had found the two females. He took the chance of pulling up the home and took notice on the front door there was a plaque that said, 'Cerise.' He got out of his Bentley, went up the porch steps and he was going to break into her home to get Mischa and her clothes. He patted his right pocket where a dagger was, just in case Anastasia ex was hiding somewhere within the home.

Breaking into the home, Hannibal slowly walked onto the wood floors while cautiously staring around at his surroundings. He could smell the slight dust in the air making him to know that no one has been in this house for a good amount of time or not much cleaning had been done.

He wanted to explore the home, but decided to go against his curiosity. Instead, he made his way upstairs and he began his search for either Mischa or Anastasia's bedroom.

When he came across a door with a slight rose smell, Hannibal knew that he was at Mischa's bedroom. Pushing the door open, Hannibal stepped into the room and took his surroundings in.

The room was royal purple and gold trimming, giving it a royalty vibe. He took note of the princess accessories like the design of the lamp and the bookcase. Hannibal made his way over to the closet, opening it up and pulling out a dark purple suitcase then he moved to the dresser to put Mischa clothes into the suitcase.

Once he had everything pack, Hannibal grab some books from Mischa's bookcase and a few dolls off her bed, putting them into the suitcase too. Zipping the suitcase up, he carried it out of the bedroom and gently shut the door behind him. Next, Hannibal walked to the last door where he had a feeling that it was the master bedroom.

Stopping at the light wood door, Hannibal push it open as it was not close all the way. Fully opening the door, Hannibal saw there were things thrown around and there were some blood droplets across the ground. He knew that the blood was Anastasia and also, probably her ex's, from fighting each other.

Hannibal set Mischa's suitcase aside to make his way to the walk-in closet where he found a large suitcase. When he open up the suitcase, Hannibal saw that there was a small amount of clothes already packed. There were some of Mischa clothes and her own. There was a card and a clip of money off to the side of the clothes.

"She was going to escape, but never got the chance to." Hannibal mumbled, turning to the coat hangers to begin packing away her dresses into the suitcase. He then found a duffle bag where he put her heels, shoes, boots, and other smaller things into it.

Once that was all done, he made his way back into the master bedroom to go up to the dresser and opening up the draws to put more of her clothes into the large suitcase. As his hand reached to the back of one of the draws, his hand came in contact with some sort of slick paper.

Grabbing hold of the silk paper, he pulled it out to realize it was a picture. The corners were slightly bent and it seem like someone was trying to flatten the corners out.

The image was a close up picture of Anastasia and Mischa smiling. They were facing each other with their foreheads pressed against each other. It was not a color photo, but it was in black and white on. The photo made it appear as if they were glowing, especially with them smiling.

Holding the photo in both hands, Hannibal continue to stare at the photo as he actually found himself liking the way the photo illuminates the two females. But also, how it captures one of their happiest moments. Hannibal began to wonder why Anastasia would hide it. A though came into mind that she was hiding the precious photo from her ex, so she stuffed it in the back of her dresser, face down.

He set the photo on top of all Anastasia's clothes in the suitcase, staring at it for a few moments seconds before he shut the suitcase and zipped it up.

Slinging the duffle bag over his shoulder, he picked up the suitcases in either of his hands then began to leave the bedroom. He made his way down the stairs and straight out the door, ignoring that curiosity tinge feeling in him to explore the house.

He had to get back to the two females that were now going to be a part of his life, no matter how much he was trying to deny it.

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**Hi,**

**So this is the third chapter that was being redone. I did one and two over again. I will be getting rid of some of the last chapters as I keep thinking how it really isn't much like Hannibal. So, the old storyline will be changing. So heads up.**

**Thank You! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter: **Photograph

…**..**

…**..Next Day; Early Morning: …..**

…**..**

Opening her pale green eyes, Anastasia stares up at the white ceiling before turning over onto her right side to see that Mischa was gone from her spot. A sigh escapes Anastasia mouth, knowing that her daughter never sits still and was always on the move.

"Mischa." Anastasia sat up and slid out of the queen size bed. As she went to run out of the room to find her daughter, her foot met something at the end of her bed causing her to yelp and hop around.

"Ow, ow, ow." Anastasia hops around, holding her stub toes then dropping her foot from her hand and shaking her foot out, trying to get the feeling back.

Before Anastasia could look down to see what she ran into, she hears thudding from feet coming towards the door.

"Mischa, don't run in the house."

"Sorry, Anni."

Anastasia hears the two outside the door before it opens and Mischa came skipping in with a wide smile upon her face. Hannibal casually walks in with his hands tuck in his pant pockets.

"Mommy, Anni gave me my own room and he brought my things mommy."

"What?" Anastasia blurts out before her hand was grab and she was being drag out of the bedroom by her daughter. Anastasia looks over her shoulder to see Hannibal following, but he was giving her a smirk as she stares at him with a questionable stare.

Entering a bedroom, Mischa let go of Anastasia hand and she ran towards the queen size bed, jumping on it and hopping around on it. But when Hannibal gave her a look of disapproval, Mischa gave him a smile and she drops to her butt. Hannibal nods at her then he looks at Anastasia.

Anastasia was walking around the bedroom that Hannibal made into Mischa's room. She took note that Mischa books were on a small shelf and her stuff animals were on the chest at the end of the bed. Anastasia made her way to the dresser and raise her slightly shaken hands up to the golden knobs of the dresser.

Sliding open the draws, Anastasia held her breath as she realizes that Mischa clothes were here. Shutting the draws, Anastasia eyes remain on the draw and she was slightly breathing a bit heavier.

She realizes that Hannibal risk his safety to go to her home and grab things for them. She didn't worry about how he knew where she live because Anastasia could tell Hannibal was a very intelligent man and could figure it out.

"Mommy?" Mischa appears beside Anastasia and reaches out, touching Anastasia's fingers.

Anastasia let out a breath from her mouth and glances down at her daughter with unshed tears and a small grin.

"I am fine, Mischa."

Mischa stare at Anastasia, not believing her mother but slowly nods her head. She turns and ran to the desk that was in her room and sat herself in the chair. Anastasia eyes stare at her daughter at the desk and she appears to have drawing supplies. Taking her pale green eyes off her daughter, they soon found amber hazel eyes with hints of maroon in them that belong to Hannibal.

"She is not the only one." Hannibal simply told her causing Anastasia to move and brush past him to head back to the bedroom that she has been staying in for almost a week.

Entering the bedroom, Anastasia looks at the suitcase at the end of her bed. The suitcase that was hers and what she had ran into a few moments ago. Anastasia slowly made her way up to it and kneels down beside it. Her hands reach out, but froze above the zipper as if it was going to explode or disappear from her touch.

Hannibal stood in the doorway, watching Anastasia freeze up for a few seconds before dropping her right hand upon the suitcase zipper. Her fingertips grip the end of the zipper and she pulls the zipper along the trail of the zipper.

Flicking open the top, she drops her hands on her sides.

Hannibal walks forwards to see that she wasn't eyeing her clothes but what was on top of them.

"I deem it as important, especially with you hiding it away." Hannibal stood beside her, staring down at the top of her head.

Reaching out, Anastasia grabs the photo of Mischa and her. It was her favorite photo. One that her ex smash the picture frame it was in and he try to rip it apart but she manage to wrestle it from him.

Her visibly shaken left hand came over her mouth to hold back the gasps of the beginning of a sob. The unshed tears from earlier emerge and she blink as fast as she could to keep them in, but her eyelashes poke the small droplets and they began to trickle down her cheeks.

Staring at the photo, Anastasia slowly stood up from her kneeling position and kept her eyes on the photo. Her left hand came off her mouth and she ran her left hand fingertips across the photo. Dropping her left hand from the photo, she turns her head to stare into Hannibal's eyes.

"Why go through all the trouble for us? Risking yourself for us. You don't have to do this, but you do."

Hannibal steps to her and brought both his hands up towards her face. However, he stops moving his hand when she tense up. He gave her a reassuring smile before gently placing his thumbs against either of her cheeks and brushes the tear trails away.

Licking his bottom lip, Hannibal drops his hands from her cheeks and steps a bit from her. He waves his hand towards her bed causing Anastasia to walk to the side of the bed and sat down. Hannibal unbuttons his overcoat suit before sitting down on the edge of the bed with her.

His hands were clasps together in his lap and his eyes stare forwards. Sucking in the bottom of his lip then letting it go, Hannibal turns his head to face Anastasia. She looks at me with shiny eyes thanks to the earlier tears.

"I feel protective over Mischa and you, Anastasia."

"Why?"

"There will be a time when I will tell you, but not now." Hannibal turns his head away from her and stares forwards again, his hands flexing in his lap then relaxing.

Anastasia took him in and knew that whatever he has to tell her someday or when he was ready, it was personal and still affects him when it is brought up. To see him like this, Anastasia couldn't believe it because Hannibal appears as a perfectionist with a hard personal. He only shows emotion when he has to. But other than that, he hid his emotions very well.

"For now, it's an obligation to assist you. Take this as a helping hand."

"But-but I'm in your debt…" Anastasia whispers taking her eyes off the photo in her hands and looking at him with soften eyes.

Hannibal holds out his left hand in front of Anastasia making her to stare down at his hand before looking into his eyes.

"I don't bite, Anastasia."

"How can I be sure of that?"

"Call this a beginning of gaining trust in me." Hannibal tells her with a small grin.

Anastasia stare into his eyes, searching them to see that he was telling the truth. Holding her left hand out, Anastasia slowly hover her hand over his before she drop her hand into his, palm against palm and the warmth from their hands heats up even more.

"Alright, I'll go on a little faith that I have within me in order to help me trust again." Anastasia tells him, the corner of her lips going up only a little but not much.

"Good. Now, how about you help me with making breakfast this morning for the three of us. What do you say?" Hannibal stood up while holding her hand still.

"I say let's do it." Anastasia answers then stood up with Hannibal still holding her hand. He smirks at her before leading her out of the bedroom and start heading downstairs to make breakfast.

…**..**

…**.. Late Evening: …..**

…**..**

The doorbell has cause Anastasia to freeze up on the couch that she was lounging on and reading a book to Mischa, who has just fallen asleep.

It was almost close to nine at night; Hannibal had return about an hour ago from his psychiatrist job. He was in the kitchen making dinner while listening to Mozart at a low volume. Anastasia slid a sleeping Mischa off her and she set the book aside.

Anastasia made her way out of the living room and pokes her head around the corner to peek into the foyer where Hannibal was answering the door.

When Hannibal opens the front door, Anastasia lean a bit more around the corner to see who the person was, especially coming at this time of the night.

As Hannibal step back a bit, Anastasia caught the sight of the person.

The person was about an inch or two shorter than Hannibal, has untamed curly brown locks, beard/mustache going on, bluish green eyes hiding behind glasses. They were dress in clothes that made the person appear to be a teacher/professor of some sorts.

Anastasia pulls herself back behind the corner to hide herself again, but kept peeking around the corner to study the new person some more. Hannibal appears to know them well and even ask the man to come into the house for a something to drink or maybe stay for dinner.

This made Anastasia to know that if Hannibal was inviting this man into the house then he wasn't a threat to Mischa or Anastasia. Thus, to Anastasia, he must be a good person, right?

When the man step into the house, Anastasia quickly duck when the shaggy looking man glance her way.

…**..**

Hannibal glances over his shoulder to the doorway that led into the living room since Will was looking in that direction with pinch eyebrows as if he saw something that brought curiosity to him. Hannibal knew that Anastasia was in there, but did Will see her or was she sneaking around and Will caught a glimpse of her.

"What is the matter, Will?" Hannibal turns his attention back on Will while tilting his head a tiny bit to the side.

"I thought that I saw someone…Am I interrupting something, Dr. Lecter?"

"No, no, you are not interrupting anything, Will. Do you wish for anything to drink?" Hannibal asks while gesturing down the hallway towards the kitchen.

Hannibal did not want Will to explore the house to find either Anastasia or Mischa. He wasn't ready to show the two females yet or better yet, he didn't want Will to question Anastasia. Hannibal was trying to help and gain Anastasia trust, but if Will frighten her; Hannibal believes it might restart the process.

"No thanks, doctor. I came over here to tell you that Abigail tried to jump the wall tonight."

"You came all the way to Baltimore to find this out?" Hannibal curiously ask with his left eyebrow rising.

"Well, no. After I left your office, I got the call about her escaping and being caught. I went there to have a talk with her, but it appears that whatever I say, she acts like she'll listen, but I know that she won't." Will explains with a shake of his head.

"She doesn't like to be a cage bird in an unknown atmosphere, Will."

"Who does?" Will mumbles, shaking his head and began to turn his body towards the front door to leave until a sneeze echo from the living room.

Hannibal shut his eyes and let out a deep exhale from his nose. When he opens his eyes back up, Will was staring at the living room with a look of curiosity then he glances back at Hannibal.

"Interrupting?" Will ask again with his eyebrows rising.

"No, not really." Hannibal lowly replies and began to make his way towards the living room doorway.

Hannibal knew that he might as well introduce the two females that he is housing because Will would find out sooner or later. And Hannibal rather it be sooner than later, especially once he gets rid of Anastasia's ex.

Thinking about the ex, an idea came into Hannibal's mind and he took a glance at Will, who was following him into the living room area. The idea of Will using his gift of placing himself into killer's shoes and analyzing what the killer does, do or why. If he pursue Will into using his gift to help find Anastasia ex, Hannibal could take him down much quicker.

…**..**

Anastasia was holding Mischa in her lap as the four year old sneeze again and afterwards shook her head.

"That was a loud one, mommy." Mischa tells Anastasia and glancing up at her with sparkling blue green eyes. Before Anastasia could reply, someone else did.

"Indeed it was." Hannibal's voice enters the living room.

Anastasia stood up from the couch and place Mischa behind her upon seeing the newcomer that Hannibal let into his home and appear to be acquainted with. The protect her daughter wall came up as she stood before Mischa, who was gripping the back of her legs and poking her head around to see who the new face was.

Hannibal could see Anastasia eyes dilating and her eyes came glancing at Will before looking at Hannibal with a questionable yet cautious look.

"Ana, Mischa, I would like to introduce you two to Will Graham. Will, this is Anastasia and her daughter Mischa. They are staying with me for a while until she gets back onto her feet."

"Very kind of you, doctor. But at the same time, something that I wouldn't expect you to do." Will says, stepping around Hannibal and towards Anastasia more with a look of curiosity.

Hannibal quickly moves around Will and place himself in front of his path right before Anastasia and Mischa. Hannibal and Will stood face to face, staring one another down.

"Who are they really, Dr. Lecter?"

Glancing back at Anastasia, Hannibal saw her eyeing him with a slight scare look, one that Hannibal never wants to see Anastasia express again. It made him upset, thus, he turns to Will with a harden expression.

"Ana, Will works for the FBI, maybe he could help us or rather you." Hannibal spoken out, but kept his eyes on Will.

Her eyebrows rose upon hearing about this new information about Will Graham. However, at the same time, she wants to keep her ex-husband status on the down low. She knew that if she mentions about her ex, Will would most likely know who it was. However, at the same time, if Will helps and they catch her ex then it would bring great relief to Anastasia.

Will was eyeing the woman and her daughter behind Hannibal, taking note how Hannibal seem to be their bodyguard as he stood before them. Will thought he would never see the day when Hannibal was like this towards someone.

Protective.

Yes, Hannibal shows interest in helping Abigail Hobbs. But upon seeing the way Hannibal became offensive when Will tries to get close to Anastasia and Mischa, Will would have never thought that Hannibal would react that way. For Will believes that Hannibal is a hard shell that is impossible to crack and show emotions towards anyone.

"What is going on?"

Before Hannibal could answer, Anastasia made up her mind about Will and she steps around Hannibal with her hand upon his forearm. Hannibal eyes cast down to Anastasia hand on his forearm. Usually when someone touches him, Hannibal would get a sense of disgust but with Anastasia, this shows that she was beginning to trust him.

"How good are you with tracking down a killer?"

"Well..." Will let out a small dry chuckle and fixes his glasses upon his face.

"My ex was, well, is a killer who is an escapee from the Baltimore Criminally Insane Asylum…He is out there."

Will eyebrows rose then something smack him in the face.

"Wait, what is your last name?"

"Cerise. But his last name is—"

"Casts. Zane Casts is your ex-husband? Wait, your daughter and you have been put on the missing list for the past almost two months." Will steps forwards but pauses when Hannibal move back and forth on the heels of his feet. It was like a warning towards Will to not step any further.

"Anastasia and Mischa have been safe with me, Will. We should keep their presence on the down low."

"Dr. Lecter, I understand, but Jack should know."

"Will." Hannibal stares down the gifted criminal profiler with a serious look.

Staring at Hannibal then looking at the two females, Will took note that they look like they were relax. That they were safe with Hannibal and also, staying with Hannibal, it probably been their first time in months to relax. Will didn't want to take that away.

"Fine. But if something is to happen, I have to tell Jack, Dr. Lecter."

Hannibal nods his head once while Anastasia bows her head a bit and glances down at her daughter, who was staring at each adult with curious eyes.

They stood in silence before Mischa grabs Anastasia pant leg and gives it a gentle tug. Anastasia looks down at her daughter with a soften look.

"Yes, Mischa?"

"My tummy growl." Mischa answers and then made claws with her hands while making a cute snarl face.

This made Anastasia to put her right hand over her mouth to hide her smile. Hannibal couldn't help but chuckle and Will felt the corner of his lips twitch into a smile.

"I will finish up dinner. Will, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"No, thank you, doctor…Ms. Cerise, I will look into your ex."

"Thank you, Mr. Graham." Anastasia bows her head slightly to Will then she bent down to pick up Mischa.

Hannibal shows Will out while Anastasia carries Mischa to the kitchen.

"Mommy."

"Yes, Mischa?"

"Do you think that that man would capture bad daddy?"

"Hopefully." Anastasia answers, setting her daughter down on the ground and then brushing some of her hair back behind her ears.

"He will."

Anastasia turns to see Hannibal entering the kitchen while saying this.

"And I'm going to help out in my own way too." Hannibal stop before Anastasia and was staring her right in the eyes as he told her this.

"Thank you. I'm very much in your debt…there has to be something that I can do for you to at least start paying you back."

Hannibal step closer to her causing Anastasia to tense for a few seconds then slowly relax. She kept herself still and she was yelling at her mental state to relax. That Hannibal will not hurt her.

"There is one thing that is coming to my mind now."

"What is that?"

A grin came upon his lips.

"Have you ever listened to an orchestra and go to a gathering afterwards?"

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**Thanks for reading! **

**Please R &amp; Review! It would be greatly appreciated! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter:** Musical Flow

…**..**

…**.. Few Days Later: …..**

…**..**

The flow of the music that the orchestra was producing was drifting through the room and surrounding the audience. Music has always created this pleasure throughout Anastasia, especially being a singer herself.

A small favor from Hannibal was to come to an orchestra and a gathering afterwards. Anastasia did question about being allow out of the house and in public to which Hannibal told her that she needs some fresh air and get out of the house.

For Mischa, she was being very good with sitting in between Hannibal and Anastasia and watching the orchestra. She told them that she loves the piano and Anastasia knew why. It was because Anastasia would play the piano while singing.

Upon listening to the orchestra play, Anastasia was getting a tug in her stomach. She wants to get back into music. She was afraid to produce music around her home when her ex was home because he likes to take anything she enjoys away from her, thus, her music.

As Anastasia closely listens to the orchestra but note that someone was off. There was someone playing a note too high pitch. Her eyes quickly scan over the players, trying to figure out who it was. And when she heard the high pitch note again that was blending in with the rest of the players playing, Anastasia found the high pitch player.

It was a clarinet player, who appears like he did not want to even be playing.

And now, since she has found the player and the problem, her attention could not get off them. Now, that she knew about it, it was a nuisance and that is all she was hearing.

She must've twitch or made a face because Hannibal was glancing at her until she felt his stare. Anastasia turn her head and caught him glancing at her.

"You good?" He mouth to her and she gave him a small grin.

Anastasia just nods and turns back to listening, but knew that Hannibal would most likely check up on her afterwards.

When the orchestra was done and the audience stood up to clap at the performance, Anastasia grabs Mischa hand and held on when everyone began to make their exit. Hannibal appears behind the two females and kept them before him, not wanting them to get lost in the wave of people.

In the large foyer of the opera house building, there was servants rushing around with trays of either snacks or champagne, people were in their click groups and chatting up a storm.

"Hannibal, Hannibal, over here."

Hannibal turns to see the familiar group of people that he usually invites over for a party dinner. He led Anastasia over with Mischa, but took note of a few of the men in the group eyeing Anastasia. Thus, Hannibal gently rests his right hand upon her lower back.

Anastasia glances at Hannibal to which he looks at her with a gentle smile. She gives a small grin back then looks forwards as they came to stop before the group of people.

"Oh, Hannibal, you came with a date tonight. Who is this lovely lady?"

"This is Anastasia and her daughter Mischa. Ana, Mischa, this is Michelle Komeda, her husband, Charles Komeda. Then there is Franklin Whites and his wife, Rachel Whites." Hannibal introduces the people that he knew but he did not know a few that were standing within the group. It was three men that were eyeing Anastasia when she came over.

"I must say, I absolutely love your dress, dear." Mrs. Komeda step forwards and she begins to eye Anastasia up and down before glancing at Mrs. Whites for her opinion.

The dress that Anastasia was wearing was a light pearl white cocktail dress. It was long sleeve, knee length and was a lacey overlay over the solid. The deep V-neck was daring and was a half of foot from touching her bellybutton. She was thankful that Hannibal had packed her dresses. The dress hugged her body, showing off her curves and slender body. Her brunette hair was pulled back into a tight bun.

"Don't you agree, Rachel?"

"Yes. It looks so good on her. And her daughter is absolutely precious."

Mischa smiles while swinging her body back and forth as she was being compliment on her cuteness. Anastasia grins down at her daughter getting fluster before looking up at everyone. Mischa was dress in a silver satin dress with sequence sparkling on the top with a satin ribbon tie around the waist and a ribbon on the back.

Hannibal picks a champagne flute glass off a tray of a servant that was walking by. He turns back to the group and began to take sip of his drink.

"How did you like the performance, Anastasia?" Mrs. Whites ask before taking a long gulp from her champagne glass.

Anastasia glance at Hannibal, who was staring at her and waiting for her response. She turns to look at Mrs. Whites with a small grin.

"It was lovely. Though, the clarinet player was playing a few high notes that weren't matching with his fellow players." Anastasia could not help but blurt this out.

"Oh? I didn't hear that at all. I must've been very focus." Mrs. Whites says with a slight giggle.

"I have heard what Anastasia is referring to." Hannibal adds in causing Anastasia to glance at him then looks at the group of individuals before them.

"How did you hear that, dear? I didn't even notice anything out of place." Mrs. Komeda says with a look of curiosity.

"Well, um, intense ear training." Anastasia admits.

"Are you a musician yourself?"

"You can say that."

"What college?" Mr. Whites asks, eyeing her closely while adjusting his glasses upon his face.

Anastasia kept herself from moving unsteady on her feet and Hannibal step closer to her with a gentle expression. His head tilt a bit to the side though as he seem to want to know the answer too.

"Berklee for music management and minor in music performance." Anastasia answers, glancing down at her daughter, who was eyeing her surroundings and aweing over women dresses.

Upon hearing information about Anastasia, Hannibal eyebrows rose and his eyes were upon Anastasia. Everyone eyes seem to lighten up and smiles came onto their lips. They were now highly interest in Anastasia, especially having a musical background.

Everyone continue to chat until Mischa head bump into Hannibal's leg. Hannibal glances down at the four year old and took note that her eyes were shutting. He bent down, picking Mischa up and held her within his arms. The group awe over Hannibal holding the little girl and were all giving sappy smiles. Seeing the group's reaction, Hannibal knew that this gave him bonus points in making him look like an innocent man that wouldn't harm a fly.

Even though he was going to find that clarinet player tonight when Mischa and Anastasia went to sleep, and he was going to take out that musician. They were not playing on key and it was the first night that Hannibal brought the two Cerise females out. He wanted it to be a perfect night for the two, but finding out that Anastasia heard the clarinet player messing up; his final decision of taking out the clarinet player was going to happen.

Glancing at his Rolex watch on his left wrist, Hannibal saw that it was close to eleven at night. Now, he could see why Mischa was very tire. And when he took a glance at Anastasia, he could see the whites of her eyes were turning slightly red, signaling that she was becoming tire.

"I believe that it is time to retire these two ladies to bed." Hannibal announces with a grin causing the group to laugh and nods their heads.

"Agree. I'm starting to sway on my feet a bit." Mrs. Whites said while leaning on her husband.

They all said a goodnight before leaving the area and start heading towards the front doors.

"Do you have her, Hannibal?" Anastasia lowly asks as Mischa seem to go limp in his arms and pass out sleeping.

"Yes." Hannibal answers as they walk outside and walk down the few steps towards the sidewalk.

The valet parking person pull Hannibal's Bentley up and open the door for all of them with a bow of their head. Hannibal let Anastasia strap Mischa in the backseat while he went to the passenger door. Once Anastasia shut the back door, she sat herself into the passenger seat and Hannibal shut the door before walking in front of the Bentley to get to the driver side.

When Hannibal was pulling out, Anastasia was gazing around the outside but let out a gasp and she seem to push herself back towards Hannibal. He slams his breaks, but Anastasia whirl around to face him and have a look of fear.

"Don't stop! Go!" She loudly whispers causing him to pull out of the place and drive off quickly.

"Ana, what was that?" Hannibal demands as he was driving fast through the streets of Baltimore. HIs eyes kept glancing at her and seeing that she was breathing heavily and gripping the passenger door in her right hand. Her knuckles were turning white.

"I think that I saw him."

"Him? Your ex?" Hannibal asks with raise eyebrows.

She just nods her head, staring out the window with frantic eyes.

"Ana."

Her eyes were wide and they held nothing but fear and frustration in them. Hannibal was curious about the frustration part, but that was probably because she was caught.

"Are you sure that it was him?"

"I know it was. And now, he knows I'm in Baltimore." Anastasia voice seems to fade towards the end of her sentence.

To him, Anastasia appears as a female lion or rather a lioness. She was protective and would do anything for her young, calm yet could be violent. It's just that Hannibal has to figure out a way to emerge the violent side of Anastasia.

"As I said before, Ana, he will not get Mischa or you. Understood?" Hannibal held out his right hand while keeping his left upon the steering wheel.

Glancing at his hand, Anastasia knew that this was him reassuring that they would be safe. Reaching out, Anastasia drops her left hand onto his and let him gently squeeze her hand.

…**..**

…**.. Hour Later: …..**

…**..**

The only light on was the lamp upon his study room desk. It gave the study room in his home a soft golden glow.

The iPad was casting a faint whitish blue upon the upper part of his body as he was scrolling through old articles and journals of Anastasia's ex-husband, Zane Casts. Hannibal did glance at a few websites and images of Anastasia, which was mostly her singing or helping to run an opera house with her father.

Hannibal did a screenshot of Anastasia with her father, Caius Cerise, who was known to own a few opera houses overseas, one on the East Coast, and was known to be an excellent piano player. He knew that the last name was familiar but it never smack him in the face. And it appears that the Cerise family is musical individuals.

As Hannibal flick his finger across the screen to go to the next page about Anastasia's ex being put into the asylum, he heard a soft knock on the open study room door. HIs eyes shot up, shock that he did not hear the footsteps of Anastasia or smell her.

Setting the iPad down, Hannibal nods his head at Anastasia as a gesture to enter the study room.

Anastasia step into the study room and took in her surroundings, taking note of the artifacts that Hannibal has either hanging on the wall, on a small table or on the bookshelf that took up the whole wall on the side of her.

Looking back at the desk that Hannibal was sitting behind, she clasps her hands in front of her body and she makes her way to one of the two seats in front of his desk.

Amber hazel eyes stay on her and took her in under the golden glow that the lamp on his desk gave the room. It gave her a body a soft glow, especially with the white sating nightgown she was wearing and a white satin housecoat that she loosely tie around her waist, both were short and left her long bare define legs to eye.

"May I sit?"

"Yes." Hannibal waves his right hand to the seat to which Anastasia fixes her nightgown before sitting down.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Nightmares." She admits in a low tone, staring down at her hands in her lap and finding them more interesting than looking at Hannibal.

"I'm afraid that he is going to track me down…hurt Mischa." Anastasia whispers, shutting her eyes to keep the tears back and she could feel her throat tighten up a bit to hold back her emotions.

As if he could sense her change in emotions, Hannibal was by her side and kneeling down before her. He reaches out and gently places his hands upon hers. And this time, she didn't tense up from his touch, showing her improvement of trusting him.

"What do I tell you all the time, Anastasia?"

"That he won't get us, but—"

"Ana, look at me." Hannibal says, keeping his eyes train on her.

When her sea foam green eyes stare into his, they were twinkling from unshed tears that were threatening to fall.

"Trust me when I say this, Anastasia…it is very hard to take me down. Trust me on this, alright."

She nods her head and whispers a soft 'alright.' Hannibal nods back with a small grin before he stood up and held her hands in his.

"Come; let's get you back to bed."

As the two adults made their way upstairs and towards the bedroom that Anastasia was staying in, she slow her pace down beside Hannibal causing him to slow down until they stop before her bedroom door.

"Can, can you—jeesh I sound like a little kid." Anastasia nervously laugh while shaking her head and went to pull away from Hannibal, but he kept firm grips on her hands. Thus, Anastasia looks back at him with raise eyebrows.

"Ask me." Hannibal most likely knew what she was going to ask and when she did, it was a very huge step of letting him into her personal space.

"Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Anastasia asks in almost a whisper that Hannibal barely caught.

"Yes." Hannibal answers before leading the two into the bedroom.

Anastasia tucks herself away in the queen size bed and curls up on the left side of the bed. Hannibal sat himself down on the right side of the bed and glance at her with a blank facial expression. She shut her eyes, hoping that she would fall asleep faster than she did before.

It probably took about ten minutes before Anastasia was officially asleep.

Hannibal sat a few more minutes on the bed, staring at Anastasia before he felt his body getting heavy with exhaustion and starting to beg for his own bed.

Before Hannibal got off the bed, he lean over to Anastasia and tucks her away a bit more. Then he lean forwards, taking in her scent before laying his lips upon her forehead.

"He doesn't know who he is dealing with, Anastasia. Sleep peacefully." Hannibal whispers before he left her bedroom altogether.

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**Thank You for Reading and Please Review! **

**Also, if anyone is wondering what Anastasia father looks like, picture him as Jasn Isaac! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter: **Icy Blue Eyes

…**..**

…**.. The Next Day: …..**

…**..**

Laughter downstairs has cause Anastasia head to tilt a bit while she was walking down the upstairs hallway. It had her curious because one, she has never heard Hannibal laugh and two, the female laugh sound older than Mischa own laughter.

When Anastasia walk down the steps that led into the kitchen, she pauses in the doorway of the stairs and stare at the new face.

"Good morning to you, Anastasia."

"Morning mommy." Mischa waves from her spot on a stool.

Anastasia stares at the newcomers face with a bit of pre-cautious to which Hannibal took note.

"Anastasia, this is Abigail Hobbs. Abigail this is Anastasia, Mischa's mother."

"Hi."

"Hello." Anastasia lowly replies as she made her way towards the breakfast island where Hannibal was cooking up a large breakfast. However, Anastasia got a smile upon her lips when she took note of Mischa dress up as a chef.

Mischa had on a small apron that fit her body and her hair was pulled back into a braid. This made Anastasia to know that Hannibal or Abigail must've done it up for the four year old.

"What are you making, chef Mischa?" Anastasia gently ask causing Hannibal to grin at the older Cerise words towards Mischa.

"Um…" Mischa looks at Hannibal for help causing Hannibal to chuckle and bent down to whisper what they were making, into Mischa's ear. Mischa eyes brighten up as Hannibal told her what they were making for breakfast. Once she knew what to say, Mischa turn to face an amuse Anastasia.

"We are making French toast with warm fresh slice apples and dr-dr—"Mischa looks at Hannibal for help.

"Drizzle." Hannibal adds in causing Anastasia to smile and Abigail to gently laugh behind her hand.

"Drizzle with caramel." Mischa finish with a smile.

"Sounds delicious…and I notice that when you were talking Mischa that it sounds like you were hissing on your 's'."

"My tooth!" Mischa exclaims, opening her mouth and pointing to one of her two front teeth. She stuck her tongue under one and began to wiggle it.

"Oh! Your first one. The tooth fairy will greatly enjoy your teeth." Anastasia appears behind her daughter and tickles underneath her chin causing Mischa to curl up and giggle.

Hannibal grins at the two females before turning his attention to the plates that he was making.

When the plates were all done, Hannibal made Abigail lead Mischa in dining room with their plates, leaving the two adults in the kitchen to clean up.

"I must ask, who is that girl?" Anastasia questions as she was wiping down the dark color marble counters and glance at Hannibal while doing so.

Hannibal turns to her before holding up a finger as a 'one moment' and he disappear from the kitchen. Anastasia lean against the counter while folding the kitchen cloth in her hand and setting it on the counter that she was leaning on. As she waits, she thought of how she was happy about how good Hannibal was to Mischa. It was like Mischa was his daughter.

Anastasia shut her eyes at the thought with a small grin before shaking her head and opening her eyes back up when she heard Hannibal come back into the kitchen. He came up to her and held out his iPad that was open up to an article with the title, 'The Minnesota Strike.'

As she read, Hannibal kept his eyes upon her and took in her expression. Her face went from focus to shock. Eyes widening and her mouth dropping as she looks up at Hannibal.

"My daughter…Mischa!" Anastasia put Hannibal's iPad down on the counter and turn to go into the dining room to retrieve her daughter, but a hand grasps her wrist from going any further.

Whirling around, Anastasia's right hand clamp on top of Hannibal's in a tight grip. His eyebrows rose at the strength she was showing as she tightly grips his wrist in a bone crushing grasps. He knew that Anastasia wasn't weak and so, he wants her to demonstrate her strength all the time.

"My daughter is in there with a serial killer's daughter, who I have a funny feeling is lying to the enforcement about knowing what her father had done. Do you honestly think I wouldn't know?"

"I never implied anything…what do you mean by that, by the way?"

Anastasia stares into his eyes before shutting her eyes and breathing out of her mouth in a heavy sigh. She let go of Hannibal's wrist making him to let her go, but he stood close to her, not wanting her to escape him.

"I knew all along that my husband did what he did. I mean, he kept me captivated with Mischa from the world for months. Sometimes, when he was bored, I was the bait to lure in the fish. He was the caster and he then flays them." Anastasia explains to him in this low voice that was void of emotions. She didn't blink either, showing that she was thinking of past memories that she obviously didn't want to relive.

"Has he ever made you…?" Hannibal stop talking as he knew that those few words express enough for her to figure out what he was trying to ask.

"He loves to take what I love away from me. My music and I somehow was lucky enough to sway him into not hurting Mischa. He enjoys seeing me hurting, physically but mostly, emotionally or mentally. Yes, he has made me do some of his…work." The last part came out in a hoarse breath and she felt herself becoming emotional and the tears building up.

Hannibal step closer to her that their chests were almost brushing one another. He brought his right hand up and brush some strands of hair away from her face and behind her ear.

"Mischa is fine with Abigail. Trust me, Ana, if Abigail ever hurts Mischa…well, let's not go there. Now, let us enjoy breakfast then I have to bring Abigail back to the psych ward that she is staying at before they call and ask if she has escaped here." Hannibal tells her making her to nod her head and she move towards the counter where Hannibal and she breakfast plate was.

She picks up both and brought them to the dining room with Hannibal behind her. He let her serve the two of them, but when she sat down, he pushes her in. His right hand brushes across her shoulders before he made his way to his seat at the head of the table.

"You girls waited for us?" Hannibal said, seeing that neither Abigail nor Mischa touch their food yet.

"Yes." Mischa answers with a smile before reaching out with her right hand to grab her fork.

Before Anastasia could reach out to cut Mischa French toast for her, Hannibal beat her to it. Anastasia eyebrows rose as she couldn't believe how much Hannibal was stepping into a duty role. She was afraid to say it, but Hannibal was acting like a father to Mischa. And he was being a better father than her ex was and that made Anastasia to shut her eyes.

A hand on her thigh made her to jump and she looks down at her lap, seeing a large hand upon her thigh. Her eyes went up to see Hannibal looking at her with concern in his eyes. She gave him a gentle smile, patting his hand and then she went onto picking up her utensils to begin to eat her breakfast. Though in her thoughts, she was thinking how not only she was starting to become comfortable with others, but Hannibal has been very brave and confident with getting close to her.

Hannibal slid his hand off her thigh, enjoying the warmth her body gave off and he went onto eating his breakfast like the rest of them.

…**..**

…**.. Hours Later: …..**

…**..**

After dropping Abigail off back at the psych ward building, Hannibal went to his practice building where he was wondering why he hasn't gotten rid of one of his patients.

That patient was none other than Franklyn Froideveaux, who is always so paranoid with everything. But also, Hannibal has taken notice that Franklyn was becoming obsessed with him. Hannibal took note that Franklyn would appear in stores that Hannibal would go to. Hannibal should've known that this might've happened, especially with Franklyn being referred to nine other psychiatrists, three of them saying how Franklyn became obsessed with them.

For most of the session, Hannibal kept thinking of how he was going to find Anastasia's ex, Zane Casts, and put an end to him. Hannibal told Will about the night that Anastasia saw her ex, last night during their session. Will hasn't come up with any clues of whereabouts, but he said that Casts was most likely searching or watching for Anastasia and Mischa.

When Franklyn's session was over, Hannibal led the paranoid obsessive patient to the door that led out to a private room where no other patients could see the patient that comes out of session.

Hannibal quickly went back into his office before Franklyn could make up something to ask or keep talking to Hannibal about. When Hannibal enters back into his office, there was a knock on the other door that led to the waiting room.

His eyebrows came together as he wasn't expecting anyone for the rest of the day. With light steps, Hannibal moves towards the door and slowly opens it, peeking through the crack at whoever it was.

"Dr. Hannibal Lecter?" A smooth yet light British accent asks.

"Yes? That is I." Hannibal fully opens the door and he was staring into the most palest yet stuck out blue eyes that contrast well with the newcomer's dark brown hair.

A hand cover in black leather glove stuck out before Hannibal and a smirk came onto the newcomer's lips.

"Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Lecter, I'm Caius Cerise, and I hear that you know my daughter and granddaughter."

**...**

**...**

**...**

The two men were sitting across from one another, staring at each other with calculating eyes and a glass of wine in their right hand.

Hannibal stares at the father of Anastasia with a blank expression, yet he was analyzing him. Hannibal could feel power leaking off this man and the way Caius talks or smirks, Hannibal knew this man was business and knew how to persuade people in doing what he wants.

"How did you know that Anastasia and Mischa were with me?" Hannibal asks, swirling the glass in his right hand and glancing at the wine swirling inside before he took a slow yet long sip.

"I was visiting a friend at the opera house a few blocks from here when they mention about you and seeing you with my daughter. Do you know how much joy went through me to hear about my daughter and granddaughter being seen in public again? How did you come to have them under your wing?"

Those pale blue eyes stare down Hannibal and for some reason; Hannibal couldn't shake those eyes off. Caius eyes were like ice. Hannibal felt the hairs on his body rising and that was saying something.

"I found them or rather Mischa found me by walking in the middle of the road at night in front of my car. I took them in and Anastasia told me about her ex."

"Yes, Zane. I knew something was up with him when I took note that I was seeing less and less of my daughter and granddaughter. But as I went to confront Anastasia, they were gone. He hid them away. Enforcements search then gave up as it was a cold trail. No clues to find them. But you, you have been keeping them safe and I wish for you to continue to keep them safe." Caius tells Hannibal, bringing his wine glass up to his lips and taking a sip while staring at Hannibal over the rim of the wine glass.

"I will do so. Though, are you going to show them that you were presence?"

A few low chuckles escape from Caius while he swirl his wine in the glass. He looks up at Hannibal with that chilling smirk.

"It's up to you."

Hannibal was a bit thrown off when Caius said this because this was Caius daughter and granddaughter.

"Me?"

"When I shook hands with you doctor, I felt how powerful and business like your grip and shake of your hand. But also, hearing you speak, the way you carry yourself and the vibe you emit from yourself, you are a predator, Dr. Lecter. When you have something valuable in your care, I can tell that it would take everything to take it away from you. Thus, I'm asking you to see my daughter and granddaughter. Is it safe for me to do so?"

Now, Hannibal understood whey Caius was asking. If Caius randomly shows up on Hannibal's front door step, he could have led unknown visitors to Hannibal's door. Or maybe it was what Caius was saying. Because Hannibal never gave anything up unless he freely gives or approves to whomever.

"Yes, you can see them."

Caius stood up causing Hannibal to stand up and step forwards to take Caius wine glass. As Hannibal brought the glasses to his desk, he could sense Caius stepping towards him, thus, Hannibal stood up straight and turn, to only be staring into Caius eyes.

"Allow me to visit my daughter and granddaughter whenever."

"With a note ahead of time?" Hannibal instantly replies, not wanting to put his two females in danger.

"Yes, with a notice ahead of time. So, do we have a deal?" Caius pulls his right hand out from his suit pant pocket and held it out to Hannibal.

Hannibal glances down Caius's hand before looking Caius in the eyes and accepting the elder Cerise hand.

"Deal."

As they shook hands, Caius got a smirk upon his lips and his icy pale blue eyes seem to have a spark in them.

Those eyes to Hannibal and seeing this spark go through them, not only sent the hairs on his body to rise, but Hannibal felt like he made a deal with the devil…and for Hannibal to feel like that was so very rare.

**...**

**...**

**...**

When the front door opens to Hannibal's home, Mischa ran off from playing checkers with Anastasia and to go greet Hannibal.

Anastasia follow, but walk instead of running like her overly excited daughter. However, when her daughter let out a yell, Anastasia quickly ran to the foyer only to freeze.

"Dad?"

Standing up with Mischa in his arms, Caius got a grin upon his lips as he stares at his only child.

"Hello, my beautiful Ana."

Anastasia eyes glance at Hannibal, who was shutting the front door and locking it up. When he turns to see Anastasia looking at him, he gives her a gentle smile. Anastasia gave him a thankful small smile before her move towards her father and let Caius pull her into his arms.

Hannibal stares at the three Cerise being reunited and thought how he likes making Anastasia smile even if he felt like her father was someone to not be trended on.

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**Thank you for reading and for reviews from the last chapters. Thus, please keep reviewing and the next chapter will come out faster! **

**Thanks!**

**Also, just a reminder about if you want to know who Caius looks like, he looks like Jasn Isaac! Thanks.**

**Disclaimer for all chapters: I don't own anything about the Hannibal Series.  
I, however, do own my original characters, Anastasia, her daughter and Caius.**

**Thanks Again! **

**R&amp;R **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter: **Troubling Dreams

…**..**

…**.. Continuing; Few Hours Later: …..**

…**..**

He stood back and just watches Caius Cerise hold his granddaughter, Mischa on his lap while talking to his daughter, Anastasia on his side. They were all in his living room, talking about what has been going on in their lives as of late.

For Anastasia and Mischa, it was obvious, so Caius just ask them how they were fairing with Hannibal. Both females response with positive comments that made Caius to glance at Hannibal with a smirk and a nod of his head, thanking Hannibal for taking care of the two females.

"Have you been singing, Anastasia?"

When her father has asks her this, Anastasia bows her head and fiddles with her fingers on her lap. Caius reaches out with his right hand and rests his hand on his daughter's hands. Her sea foam green eyes lifts up to stare into her father's pale icy blue eyes.

"He took everything away from me, dad…but, it's coming back." Anastasia says, glancing at Hannibal sitting in his armchair with a small grin coming onto his lips. She stares at Hannibal because he was helping her return to normal or what was close to normal.

"I hope so. You would get your glow back."

"Thanks dad." Anastasia dryly replies causing Caius to chuckle and gently pats her hand before pulling his hand off hers and checks his watch on his left wrist.

"Anyways, I realize what the time it is and I have to go."

"Date?" Anastasia jokily asks causing Hannibal to smirk and Caius to laugh and shakes his head.

"No, no. No dating for me anymore." Caius hands Mischa to Anastasia before standing up from the couch and buttoning up his overcoat suit. He bends down to kiss Mischa and Anastasia's forehead.

"I'll show you out." Hannibal stands up from the armchair, buttoning up his overcoat suit and led Caius to the front door, however, Caius turns back to stare at his daughter.

"Ana."

Her eyes look up at her father.

"I will come see you two again…stay strong and never set limits on yourself. Do whatever it takes." Caius says with a wink before turning back around and let Hannibal show him out.

When Caius steps outside, he turns to stare at Hannibal standing in the front door frame. He tucks his hands in his suit pockets and gave Hannibal a small grin.

"The same goes to you, Dr. Lecter of what I said to my daughter. But I know that you have no problem with dealing with people…I do have one thing to say to you."

"Yes?"

"They might not, or rather Anastasia might not have her full senses back, but the hint of metallic smell is in the air of your home, but also, on your breath." Caius said, his smirk deepening and becoming a bit mischievous. He pulls out his black leather gloves and slips them onto his hands before turning away from Hannibal and walking towards his vehicle.

"Oh, and doctor." Caius turns back around with his hand raise in the air.

Hannibal couldn't get his eyes off this man as he couldn't believe that Caius points this out about Hannibal, but not even faze by it. Instead, he was acting as if it was normal.

"Do keep my daughter and granddaughter safe. They are the only people I got and if something was to happen, well, we don't want to go there." Caius said in a casual tone, but Hannibal found it as a warning to him.

"Is that a threat, Caius?" Hannibal asks with raise eyebrows.

A chuckle escapes Caius, who was at his vehicle driver's side door and he open it up. However, he looks at Hannibal with clear amusement in his devil like eyes. Even from a distance, those eyes stuck out that it was unbelievably to Hannibal. Those eyes still has the same effect on Hannibal and probably others, even from a distance.

"No, doctor, take it as a heads up or notice. Good day." Caius sends Hannibal one last smirk before getting into the driver's seat of his expensive charcoal grey Bentley Continental GT and driving off.

Hannibal hands were gripping the doorframe of his front door; his eyes were downcast to the ground and glaring at it.

"Hannibal?"

Turning around quickly to look behind him, Anastasia stood there with a concern expression. He steps forwards and without looking, shuts the front door behind him.

"Yes, Ana?"

"Don't take offense to my dad. Just keep doing what you are doing Hannibal and think of his threats as empty ones." Anastasia tells him, clasping her hands in front of her and giving him a reassuring smile.

"Are they though, Ana? Are they empty threats?" Hannibal asks, stepping to her causing her smile to drop and her eyes to soften then harden.

"Most of the time…no, there not empty threats. The way he dresses in expensive suits is like a masks to hide his dangerous side. He is vicious, but doesn't like to show it. Instead, he gives warnings as a way to give that person a heads up or rather a chance to back down."

"I don't back down, Anastasia." Hannibal tells her, his accent deepening and his eyes dilating as he doesn't like to be threaten. He would usually take out the threat, but he didn't want to do that to Caius because it would greatly upset Anastasia and Mischa. But also, he found that Caius would be a good 'ally' on Hannibal's side.

"I can tell. An alpha against another alpha never turns out with just a simple shake of hands. Instead, its bumping heads until an agreement can be figure out. "Anastasia took a step towards him to which Hannibal's head tilts a bit to the side as he realizes that Anastasia has enough confidents now to take control.

"Like I told you before, I'm in your debt, definitely in your debt for bringing my father here…I'm going to go bring Mischa upstairs for her nap, which I will most likely join her." Anastasia tells him, turning to leave to go receive Mischa, but stops and turns back around to face Hannibal.

She took a few steps to him and leans up, brushing her lips across his cheek.

"And also, for helping to bring my confidence back." She whispers before pulling away and leaving him to stand there, watching her disappear into the living room with a confident sway to her hips.

A cunning smirk graces his lips.

…**..**

…**.. 1:57am: …..**

…**..**

The blue comforter was sliding off the bed and the white bed sheets were becoming tangle up around Hannibal's body as he was twisting and turning in his king size bed. A light sheer of perspiration glisten his body and his face would scrunch up then relax every so often.

Usually dreams only last for seven to eight seconds, but for Hannibal it appears to last forever. He was having back to back dreams or rather continuous dreams.

…_**..**_

…_**.. Hannibal's Dream State: …..**_

…_**..**_

_Strips of white linen sheer blankets were hanging from the ceiling. There was this eerie whitish gold glow lightening up the room and able to allow Hannibal to see through the see-through sheets. _

_He felt as if he was gliding through the room, the sheets brushing against him as he make his way towards something in the middle._

_A sheet ran across his face before disappearing and allowing himself to see what was presented in front of him._

"_Hannibal." Her voice was soft and almost angelic to his ears._

_Before him, getting off the bed was Anastasia. She steps in front of him, dress in this sort of white see-through toga with a sultry V-neck dip down between her breasts. _

"_Hannibal, you came." She whispers while reaching up and running either of her hands fingertips down his jawline, his neck then down to his bare chest._

"_Hannibal." Anastasia whispers again, pressing herself closer to him and then standing up on her tippy toes to brush her lips against his._

_There was a bright flash that surround them._

_Soon, Hannibal finds himself tangle up in thin white sheets with Anastasia withering in pleasure underneath him. Her body arching against his and her hands was grasping his back tightly, both gasping in blissful pleasure. _

_But then, this odd feeling came over him causing him to look up and see that the once white sheer sheets hanging from the ceiling turn blood red. _

_Looking back down, he notes that Anastasia was gone from him. Turning onto his back and sitting up, Hannibal looks around to see that everything turn to blood red and black. _

"_Ana!" Hannibal shouts, getting out of the bed and he felt himself becoming panicky for the first time in ages. _

"_Anni!"_

_Whirling around, the bed was gone from behind him and in its place was Anastasia sitting on the ground with Mischa in her lap. Both females were tightly wrapped up in each other's arms with fear sketch across their faces._

_As Hannibal step forwards, he felt his feet sinking. He looks down to see that his feet were submerge in some sort of black goop. But when he tries to lift his foot up, he took note that it wasn't black, but a deep blood red. _

_It was blood._

_Looking back up, Hannibal eyes widen even more as he watches his late little sister appear beside Anastasia and her daughter, Mischa. _

_Now there was two Mischa's. One was Anastasia's daughter and the other his late sister, who has very close resemblance to Anastasia's Mischa. _

_He watches as Anastasia wraps her arms around both Mischas' holding them close as they began to cry in fear of something that Hannibal could not see._

"_Anni!"_

"_Annibal!"_

_Both Mischa's were shouting causing Hannibal to roar in anger as he couldn't get out of whatever he was sinking in. _

"_Hannibal!" Anastasia screams as a figure dress in all black with a black mask upon their face appears beside them with a deep chuckle._

"_Where is your protector now, Ana?" The figure chuckles before raising a knife in the air and bringing it down on the three females, screaming all at once for Hannibal._

"_NO!" Hannibal yells but was suck under._

_He finds himself sinking in the pool of blood, drowning but he could still hear the three females screaming for his name._

"_Hannibal…HANNIBAL!"_

…**..**

…**.. Back to Reality: …..**

…**..**

"HANNIBAL!"

Hannibal shot up causing whoever was on the side of him to scream and fall off the bed. He looks over the side of his bed to see Anastasia sitting on her rear end and staring at him with wide eyes that were fill with concern.

"Hannibal."

He looks away, but his eyes were wide and staring around his dark bedroom. His heart was fluttering like humming birds wings against his ribcage.

"Hannibal?"

"Was I screaming?"

"You smack your lamp and phone off your nightstand and I heard the crash. I knock, but you didn't answer, but I heard struggling. I just thought…" She pauses in her explanation of being in his bedroom.

Hannibal eyes cast over to her, roaming over her face to see her looking down at her hands then up at him with a small grin.

"You thought that he was here, didn't you?"

"Yes. I just had a nightmare about him breaking into the house and I couldn't stop him from hurting Mischa or you. I was defenseless." Anastasia tells him, moving unsteadily on her feet as she stood beside his bed.

He pats the bed to which Anastasia stares at him with widen eyes but then they relax. She crawls onto his bed and holds a yelp in when Hannibal wraps his left arm around her waist and tugs against his body. She could feel the light sheer of sweat on his skin from whatever type of dream he was having.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to teach you how to defend yourself."

"You mean today?"

Hannibal eyes glance over to the nightstand where the clock was—that he didn't manage to knock off—and saw it was close to two in the morning.

"Yes, today." Hannibal looks back at her with a small grin then became serious.

"I will not be light on you, Ana. I'm going to push you to your limits and I can't promise you that you won't get hurt or frighten by me, but for you to be able to protect Mischa and yourself, you have to learn." Hannibal tells her, dropping his chin on top of her head.

"I understand." Anastasia whispers in reply while shutting her eyes.

Both trouble by only what they experience within their dreams.

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**Thanks for reading! And thanks to the reviewers that always review the chapters, which I greatly appreciate and makes me happy! So thank you very much!**

**Please R &amp; Review**

**(P.S. Wasn't last night's season finale episode crazy! Why does next season have to be so far away!)**

**Anyways, thanks again! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter: **Zealous Sensation

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…**.. Morning: …..**

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"Get up!"

Anastasia rolls onto her stomach and pushes herself up from the living room marble ground. She lets out a breath to try to dull the pain in her back, but it didn't do anything. Her sea foam green eyes look up at the man that flips her onto her back.

"Coming headstrong would be your downfall, Ana."

For the past two hours, Hannibal has been teaching Anastasia how to defend herself. And for the past two hours, Anastasia already has bruises on her body from being slam onto the floor of the living room.

They move all the furniture to the sides of the large room, allowing them great space to circle each other or charge one another.

Anastasia stares at the man across from her, noting how he becomes emotionless and becomes this predator that was definitely not to be mess with. Hannibal's amber hazel eyes darken and she took note of the hints of maroon red emerging in them. His muscles flex in the black t-shirt he was wearing and his legs were powerful in the long black basketball shorts he was also wearing.

Staring at him, Anastasia took note that his feet were spread apart to keep him stable onto his feet. However, it was enough to move out of the way when she comes near. She figures out that he was graceful on his feet and she has a feeling that he was a good dancer. He usually tosses her away from him or does a move to disable her long enough to take her down.

Hannibal was quick and likes to take down his opponent as quick as possible. Anastasia just needs to figure out a way to get close enough and take him down to his knees.

When Hannibal move his right foot forwards, Anastasia begins to move. She begins to circle him, keeping her eyes focus on his face, but glance down to his feet to see that he kept inching towards her.

"Come on, Anastasia." He says, trying to lure her in like a Venus fly trap.

Anastasia looks back up at him and pauses in her walking, but then crouches down then lunges at him.

Hannibal shakes his head, thinking she was going to try to tackle him again and he moves forwards to catch her and flip her again. However, his eyes widen when she drops to her knees, sliding across the marble floor thanks to her wearing sweat pants. He turns around, but before he could fully turn around, his knees were kick out from behind and he falls to his knees.

Anastasia gets back onto her feet and tackles him from behind with her right arm around his throat in a chokehold. His hands shot up to grab her arm and he stands up causing Anastasia to wrap her legs around his waist so that he couldn't flip her over his shoulders.

When she felt him going back, she knew that he was going to slam her into the wall. Her eyes shut as she felt the presence of the wall and soon her back met it.

"Argh! Dammit."

Slamming her into the wall again, he didn't go full power because he didn't want to hurt her too badly. Instead, Hannibal did enough force to make her let him go.

When she did, he whirls around to grab her and throw her when a knee met his stomach then a fist across his face. He soon found himself on his rear end and holding his mouth where blood was pooling out from the split bottom lip.

"Oh my—I'm so sorry." Anastasia hands were in front of her mouth before she kneels down beside Hannibal and touches his shoulder.

"Nice punch." Hannibal pulls his hand away from his mouth and gave her a smile, but she gave him a sheepish grin at his bloody smile.

"Did I pass?"

"Use that type of aggressions all the time. You pass for now." Hannibal tells her, letting her help him up and begins to lead him to the kitchen so that he can get clean up.

"I'm so sorry, Hannibal."

"Don't worry about it, Anastasia. It's like karma." Hannibal tells her, grabbing a kitchen cloth and wetting it.

"Karma?" She takes the wet cloth from him and begins to gently dab it onto his lip. Her motherly side coming out as she gently grips his chin in her left hand and dabbing his bottom lip with the wet cloth with her right hand.

Hannibal let her do the work for him, actually finding pleasure in being pamper by someone, especially Anastasia.

"Karma because I have hurt you during our training session, thus, you got me back." Hannibal tells her causing her to snort and shake her head in clear amusement. Hannibal let out a few chuckles of his own.

"Well, you didn't make me bleed."

"I could have." He lowly tells her to which she looks up at him with slight raise eyebrows then her face relaxes.

"Yes, you could have." Anastasia replies with a small grin, dropping her hand away from his bottom lip and now she was closely examining his lip.

Anastasia leans back and away from being close to his face, however, they caught each other's eyes and seem to study one another. It felt like forever until someone clears their throat.

"Ahem."

Both Hannibal and Anastasia look towards the kitchen doorway to see Caius standing there with Mischa giggling behind his legs. The four year old peeks around her grandfather's legs and shot Hannibal and Anastasia a dimple smile.

"You two look like you had a tussle." Caius slowly walks into the room with Mischa clenching his right pant leg.

"Hannibal was teaching me self-defense, dad."

"Ah, I see." Caius slowly says, glancing at Hannibal with a single raise eyebrow before Caius looks back at his daughter.

"Anyways, before I interrupt you two's gazing, I wanted to ask if I could have Mischa for the day."

"Umm." Anastasia hums, glancing down at her daughter then at her father with a look of uncertainty.

Hannibal steps forwards, knowing that Anastasia hasn't been truly separated from her daughter since he has found them. Her father had Mischa with him for the morning, but for the whole day, Hannibal knew that it worries Anastasia. He knows that if she allows Caius to take Mischa for the day, it would be a huge step in Anastasia's trusting process.

Thus, Hannibal places his hand upon Anastasia's shoulder causing her to look up at him with a wary look. He gives her a reassuring smile and a small nod.

"Okay…but please check in." Anastasia quickly adds in to which her father nods his head with a tender smile as Caius knew his daughter was still working on her trust again.

"I will do so." Caius affirmed with an acknowledging nod of his head.

After that, Caius left with an overly happy Mischa in his arms. Anastasia stood in the kitchen, staring at the spot that her daughter and father were before turning to look at Hannibal.

"How do you like swimming?" Hannibal proposed of nowhere with a soft grin.

"Um, I don't have a bathing suit." Anastasia points out.

His soft grin turns into a mischievous smile making Anastasia a bit wary.

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…**.. Hour Later: …..**

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It was lukewarm and caresses her skin, cooling down her body. Bursting up through the clear surface of water was like breaking through a thin mirror and was entering the living world again.

Taking in a long intake of air, Anastasia moves her arms around the side of her body close to the surface while kicking her feet in a slow manner. Moving forwards, her body smoothly cuts through the pool water and her hands soon met the hard tile walls of the pool.

Placing her hands on the edge, she springs herself out of the pool, turns herself around and perches herself on the edge of the pool with her feet still in the water.

Reaching up towards her eyes, Anastasia pulls the swimming goggles up and set them on the top of her forehead. Her sea foam green eyes search the pool and soon came to rest on graceful swimmer.

Not only was Hannibal graceful on his feet, but in the pool, his tall frame gave him this cutting edge through the water. He moves at a reasonable, steady pace and it was faster than her swimming.

As if he knew that she wasn't in the water anymore, Hannibal stops his steady swimming about fifteen feet away from where she was sitting. She notices that she was sitting in the swimming lane that he occupies.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am alright. I am just taking a short break." Anastasia assures him, standing up to fix her bathing suit or she should be saying her bikini top.

Before arriving at this indoor swimming pool, Hannibal made a quick stop at a store where he told Anastasia to pick out two swim suits of her pleasure. She picked a black bikini and a teal and black strip one. And at this moment, she was wearing the solid black one.

Sitting herself back down on the edge, Hannibal makes his way over with a beatific grin. However, it was too appealing to Anastasia and she felt like Hannibal was up to something.

Hannibal spit some water out of his mouth that manages to slip past his lips. He swims up to Anastasia relaxing on the edge with an elegant air around her. His hands reach forwards to rest on the edge of the pool wall and on either side of Anastasia's legs. One of her thin eyebrow's rose and her expression was mostly of curiosity.

"Hannibal?" Anastasia quaver a little as his right hand touch the side of her knee.

"Relax, Ana." He smiles before he brought both of his hands up to clamp upon her hips.

His eyes search hers as he has her in a position to not escape him. But he makes sure that his hands were gripping her hips softly to give a non-verbal guarantee that he wasn't going to hurt her. Rather, he was going to do the opposite.

"Hannibal?"

"Times up." He quips before lifting her a bit up and jolting her forwards into the water.

A shriek escapes her before being stop by being submerge underwater with Hannibal holding her. She pulls herself up to the surface and turning in circles to find Hannibal. Pulling her goggles back down over her eyes, she turns around to see that Hannibal was sneaking up underneath her.

Jerking back, she begins to backstroke away from him before turning over onto her stomach and diving underwater, swimming to the bottom of the deep end pool.

Hannibal quickly follows after her with strong strokes of his arms and legs.

When Anastasia touch the bottom, she moves her arms in upward motions, her palms facing up and towards the surface. She was holding herself down on the bottom of the pool with her feet touching the small mosaic tile bottom.

Slowing up to a stop and floating before Anastasia, Hannibal felt himself become bewitch by the sight before him.

Dark long tendrils of hair flow around Anastasia's head similar to the way water snakes glide through the water. It was as if her hair was snakes like Medusa, however, when Anastasia's sea foam green eyes look up to stare into his, he didn't turn to stone.

He felt zealous for her instead.

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**Hello Readers! **

**I'm considering this a short chapter compared to most of my other chapters. It was one of those chapters that I had to get out.**

**R&amp;R**

**Thank You!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter: **Unfavorable News

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…**.. A Week Later: …..**

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From a smooth tar road to a dirt driveway, the Bentley hit a few small bumps in the driveway causing the individuals to bounce a bit, but not as bad. The Bentley's suspension took the beating to make the rest of the drive down the dirt driveway less bouncy for the individuals inside.

The Bentley finally came to a stop and shut off.

"It must be peaceful out here." Anastasia whispers, but loud enough for Hannibal to hear from the driver's seat. Her eyes looking around the new surroundings at the snow cover land.

There were no houses around. There were only acres of land with woods all around.

"Indeed. But Will is an individual that isn't really a…" Hannibal pause to figure out what was Will like.

"People person?" Anastasia guesses, glancing at Hannibal with a raise eyebrow.

"Yes, a people's person. Now, shall we?"

"Yes, but first." Anastasia jabs her thumb behind her with a grin.

Hannibal turns in his seat and grins upon seeing Mischa was limp in her seat and passed out. He chuckles before turning back around and unbuckling himself.

"So, does Will have information about my ex? Is that why he call for us?" Anastasia theorize while unbuckling her seatbelt and opening the passenger door. Before she got out though, she hastily glances back at Hannibal.

"Supposedly." Hannibal states then slides himself out of the driver's seat.

Anastasia hastily gets out of the vehicle, gently shuts the door and then makes her way to the back door to get Mischa out.

The four year old was waking up thanks to the vehicle doors shutting. Gradually Mischa stirs and then stretches. Anastasia grins at her daughter before bending into the vehicle and unstrapping her from the booster seat.

Pulling Mischa into her arms, Hannibal was standing beside the door after making an invisible appearance as Anastasia didn't hear him come near them. He shuts the door for Anastasia while she holds a grudgingly Mischa in her arms. Anastasia knew Mischa didn't like being abruptly wakened from her nap, but it must be done.

Hearing barking, Anastasia turns to see what type of dogs Will has—since he told Hannibal to warn Anastasia about the dogs. However, Anastasia didn't think Will has seven dogs.

"Oh my!" Anastasia sputter out, hiding herself behind Hannibal as she didn't want to get bombard by all those dogs at the same time. However, a loud whistle echoes through the air causing the dogs to run toward Will.

"They won't hurt you." Will promises as he came closer to them with his dogs running around all four of them.

"Well, they are very well train." Anastasia chimes in, poking her head around Hannibal's board, tall frame and sending Will a heartily smile.

Will could not help but get a mild grin as he sees how much Anastasia change from the last time he saw her. To Will, he feels that Anastasia's time with Hannibal is helping Anastasia recover from her traumatic past and turning her into the attractive and strong woman that she most likely was before her ex.

"Mommy, doggies!" Mischa burst out, pointing to all the dogs and was absolutely glowing with excitement.

Setting the four year old down, Mischa ran after the dogs and squealing when a few came up to her and licking her face. Anastasia stood there with her hands in her white winter double button up pea coat.

"Mischa, careful of any ice." Hannibal informs the little one.

"I will." Mischa waves back before chasing after a dog that was running around Mischa while giving her a playful puppy bark.

The three adults stood there in the frost cold air, watching the energetically sight of Mischa laughing and joyfully skipping around with the dogs.

"Shall we go inside?" Will inquires after standing outside and watching Mischa run around chasing his dogs.

"Yes."

"Mischa, come on."

"Can the doggies come?" Mischa asks, running over to them with the dogs all around her.

"Yes, they may." Will chuckles before turning and leading them all towards the house.

Anastasia walks in between Will and Hannibal while Mischa ran ahead of them towards Will's home with the dogs.

"Careful." Anastasia states to Mischa as the four year old ran right up the snowy steps of Will's front porch.

As Anastasia steps up the front porch steps, her leather tan boots must've been worn down on the bottom because the next moment, she finds herself falling backwards as she lips on ice.

Before she hits the ground, she finds hands on either of her arms, preventing her from hitting the ground. Her widen eyes glance down at her arms to see Will and Hannibal manage to grab the arms closest to them. The two men stare at her with concern then look at one another, Hannibal's eyes narrow at Will when Will helps her up.

"Well, maybe I should take my own words." Anastasia gives them a faint humorist smile.

"Maybe." Will jest and the corner of his lips twitch up to show his amusement.

Leading them all into the house, Will steps forwards to take everyone's coat and winter gear to hang up.

Anastasia unbuttons her pea coat and instead of her pulling her coat off, Hannibal was behind her and sliding the coat off for her. She glances back at him with a small thankful grin. She didn't see that he glances at Will with a roguish smirk.

Will looks away tensely and he turns to kneel down beside Mischa, helping her with her winter gear. Though in Will's mind, he was unexpectedly thrown off upon seeing Hannibal's visibly wicked grin. The way Hannibal stares down Will outside and a few moments ago, Will unquestionably knew that Hannibal was marking his territory on Anastasia. That she was off-limits, but Will know that Anastasia didn't know that. Unless she did and was temporarily ignoring it.

Anastasia fixes her light blue sheer wrap style blouse, which she had to put a white tank top underneath or else anyone could see her white lacey bra, and sits down on the couch. Her eyes glance over at Mischa, sitting in the corner of the room and still playing with the dogs.

Her daughter was distract, thus, Anastasia turns to watch Will take their winter gear and hangs it up by the door.

"Do you want coffee or hot chocolate?"

Mischa perks her head up upon hearing hot chocolate. Anastasia caught her daughter's excitement upon hearing Will mention hot chocolate. And seeing Anastasia looking over at Mischa, Will turns to see an innocently four year old smiling at him.

"Hot chocolate with marshmallows?" Mischa asks.

"Yes, with marshmallows." Will proclaims then turns to the two adults.

"I'm all set, thank you anyways." Anastasia assures with her right hand in the air then dropping her hand onto her lap. Will sends her a mild grin before looking at Hannibal, whose eyes darken and narrow a bit.

"No thank you, Will." Hannibal sardonic grin made Will to nod and turn away, heading into his kitchen to make hot chocolate.

"Stop having a pissing contest with Will." Anastasia states while crossing her right leg over her left.

Hannibal's eyebrows rise at Anastasia unexpected comment. He swiftly turns to her with a mix of shock at her unabashed comment, but also, he was truthfully patting himself on the back for successfully getting Anastasia to become brave again, especially say that to him. He knew that Anastasia knew he wasn't one to be frown upon, but he was actually proud at her speaking out.

"Ana?"

"You keep glaring at him whenever he grins or stares at me."

"Where does the pissing come from?"

"Animals piss and mark their territory, do they not?" Anastasia tells him, her eyebrows rising in a challenging manner.

In honestly, Hannibal was truly enjoying this and he felt like adding fuel to the fire for his pleasure.

"I wish not to piss on your, Ana. I don't think Will wants to either." Hannibal smoothly affirms her with a sly grin.

"I would hope not. But would you stop with the alpha role."

"What do I get in return?"

"Really?" Anastasia jeers at him in a low hiss and her expression showing disbelief at his playful and sly side.

This was entertainment to him as he was testing Anastasia's reborn bold personal.

The roguish grin appears onto his face again causing her to sigh and shake her head. Anastasia could hear Will coming back towards the living room causing her to look at Hannibal with a whole-heartedly smile. This made Hannibal to ponder what she was up to.

"Please, Hannibal." She whispers to him causing him to search her eyes then nods, turning his head to look towards the doorway that Will was going to come out of in a few seconds.

"I'll think about i—"He stop talking when lips were place against his cheek and then a warm breath was near his ear.

"No pissing content." Anastasia reminds him before pulling away just as Will enters the room with two mugs. He gives one to Mischa, who sweetly smiles up at him and thanks him.

Will makes his way over to an armchair that was near the couch and sat himself down in it with his mug of hot chocolate. He takes a sip before looking in between Hannibal and Anastasia, noting Hannibal staring at Anastasia with wickedly grin and Anastasia was wearing an innocent smile.

"So, Will, to get down to the point, what is up?" Anastasia questions with her hands clasping together on her lap.

"Your ex has struck again."

"What? What do you mean again?" Anastasia back straightens upon hearing the news.

"This week, he has now killed two people. I believe that he is sending this hint to you that he knows where you are."

"How?" Hannibal asks, crossing his right over his left and clasping his hands on his right knee, gripping the knee.

"One was a man wearing Baltimore things and the other was a female with brown hair and green eyes. Almost the same height as Anastasia and was a music student. Thereby, he knows where you are located." Will confesses causing Anastasia to drop back into the couch and shake her head with an emotionless expression.

"How were the victims?" Hannibal questions, his eyes focus on Will even though he can sense Anastasia becoming upset beside him.

"The male was beaten, slice up and then ended with stab through the chest. The female, well, she was rough up a bit and then strangle. He's giving a message to her." Will nods his head towards Anastasia.

"However, I also believe that he is having help."

"Help?" Anastasia and Hannibal said together.

"Two different fingerprints on the woman's neck. However, the other fingerprint was unreadable and hence, we believe they mangled up their fingertips" Will adds in, worriedly glancing at Anastasia, who was shaking her head.

"I can't believe it. When is this going to end." Anastasia stands up and walks to the front door, opening it and going outside.

Hannibal exhales, staring at the front door then looking back at Will with a serious expression.

"Do you know where he is or idea? His pattern?" Hannibal instantly questions with slight harshness in his tone.

"He's watching. We might have to tell Jack about her."

"She's fine."

"She's in danger, Dr. Lecter. If we have her under surveillance, Mischa and she will be safe."

Hannibal stares at Will before standing up and fixing his suit overcoat.

"I'll tell, Anastasia, but it's her decision." Hannibal blankly tells Will before he moves towards the door to grab their coats.

Will kept to himself to not curse out at Hannibal. He knew that Hannibal felt that it was his responsibility to take care of Mischa and Anastasia, however, Will wants what is best for the two females. He doesn't need Hannibal to be put in danger too. It would become one huge conflict and Will knows that he is going to get in trouble for keeping Anastasia and Mischa a secret from Jack.

"Mischa, come on. We are going." Hannibal kneels down as the four year old runs over towards Will and hands him an empty mug.

"Thank you for the hot chocolate." Mischa smiles at him causing Will to grin at Mischa's cuteness.

Mischa ran over to Hannibal and stood before him as he helps her put on her coat, gloves and hat. While pulling on her winter hat, Hannibal pokes her on the nose causing her to giggle.

The sight made Will to be imaginable that Hannibal actually and truly cares deeply for these two girls, well one's a woman. But Will could not believe that the stoic, perfectionist and luxurious doctor was gradually warming up and acting like a family man. It was slightly unethical in Will's book of knowledge on Hannibal, but then again, Dr. Lecter was a mysterious man when it comes to figuring him out.

"Good day, Will." Hannibal said, bowing his head slightly then leading the two females towards his Bentley.

Will felt a lick on his hand making him to look down and away from Hannibal leading Anastasia and Mischa to the Bentley. Will sees that Winston was the licking culprit.

"Well, Winston, people can willingly change for the better, right?" Will says, looking back up to watch Hannibal getting into the driver's side of his Bentley.

"But when it is Dr. Lecter, truthfully, Winston, it's like an upside-down world of confusion and questions left unanswered."

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**Hi! **

**Hope everyone enjoys this chapter and I hope that everyone is enjoying the story so far. I hope that I'm not going at a slow pace and not putting any action yet. But I will! I'm trying not to rush into things and I'm also trying to mix in the TV season with the story. **

**Thank you to the reviewers that keep reviewing! Like always, I appreciate the positive comments! Makes me very happy! **

**And so, please enjoy the rest of the story and review! **

**(P.S. Fun fact about Caius! I decided to use Jason Isaac as a look-alike because I watch this mini TV Series that showed him in it. If anyone can guess what it was, brownie points to you! Because in my mind when I saw him playing in it I was like, hey, what a perfect person for Anastasia's father! So, that is a fun fact… [Also, wasn't that mini-series of that show nuts!]).**

**Please R &amp; R **

**Thanks!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter: **Entering Hannibal's Domain

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…**.. Continuing; Nighttime: …..**

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"May I ask what you are doing?"

Anastasia turns her head towards the bedroom door to see Hannibal standing there with a curious look.

"Just lying around. I don't feel like going to bed yet and some reason the floor feels comfortable."

"I see." Hannibal muses, eyeing Anastasia lying there on the ground.

Taking a few steps into the bedroom, Hannibal stood beside Anastasia's head while staring down at her with a mild amuse grin.

"It's almost midnight, Anastasia."

"I can't get over what Will said about my ex and now he has a helper. Who is it? His protégé?" Anastasia turns onto her stomach then pushes herself up from the floor to sitting Indian style.

"Most likely." Hannibal agrees while offering his hand to her.

Anastasia drops her right hand in his and lets him pull her up into an upright position. He lets go of her hand and stares at her, taking in her tired expression. She was staring back at him with this unreadable look, but slowly a meek smile was appearing onto her lips.

"You know, staring at you, I can see you pulling off a goatee."

His eyebrows rose at this random comment that has successfully made him let out a few chuckles. The sudden comment was thoroughly funny to him yet he was a bit eager to find out what she would think if he was to develop this said goatee.

"And if I do? What would you think?" Hannibal asks, stepping closer to her and reaching up to play with a strand of her hair.

"My father grew a goatee once; it fitted his devil like eyes. You with a goatee, I say you'll look mysterious."

"No doubt about your description of your father. I, mysterious, is an interesting thought." Hannibal inquires, dropping the strand of hair and bringing his fingertips towards the side of her face.

However, that didn't happen when a sound of kitchenware clanks somewhere down in the kitchen. Alert, Hannibal and Anastasia turn to face her bedroom door and begin to wonder about the unknown sound.

"Hannibal?"

"Stay here." Hannibal orders before leaving her bedroom with a stern look.

"Like hell I am." Anastasia mutters, waiting a few seconds before she left the bedroom to go search for Hannibal.

Entering the hallway, Anastasia walks on the balls of her toes and praying that she didn't hit any boards that would creak. She manages to smoothly get to the staircase that leads into the kitchen and she begins to swiftly but softly go down the carpet steps.

When Anastasia got to the last step, she felt victorious for her slyness and not making a sound on her adventure. Now, she pokes her head around the corner to stare into the dark kitchen only to see two figures throwing each other around.

Eyes widening as she could see that Hannibal was fighting off someone dress in all black with a ski mask on. Watching Hannibal receive a punch across the face then shove back, Anastasia got this feeling in her stomach. She felt unhelpful as she was watching Hannibal fight this individual that she has a funny feeling that they were associated with her ex.

She knew it wasn't Zane because Zane was a tall man. This person that Hannibal was fighting was shorter than Hannibal, but they were quick on their feet.

As Anastasia watches Hannibal dodge then land a few punches on the unknown person, she got this unstable feeling in her. That Hannibal shouldn't be fighting her battles for her.

It wasn't sensible, but Anastasia was now feeling selfish and she wants to face her fear, not someone else doing it for her.

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Hannibal was slam into his steel door refrigerator and he slid down the front of it onto his rear end. However, he grunts as this unknown attacker kicks him in the chest making him to slide onto his back. There was this terrible tight feeling abrupt from his chest making Hannibal to know that his chest was going to horribly bruise in a few minutes.

As the unknown attacker let out this impulsive chuckle as they lift their foot again to deliver another stomp on Hannibal's chest, a soft whistle split through the air.

Both Hannibal and the attacker look to the right, but the attacker met one of the two refrigerator doors to their face.

"Argh, dammit!" The attacker roars out, holding their face and staggering away enough for Anastasia to bend down and help Hannibal up.

"I thought that I told you to stay upstairs." Hannibal chokes out, trying to regain his breath.

"Yeah, my ex told me the same thing, but look where I am now." Anastasia retorts before getting up and facing the attacker, who was shaking their head to regain their momentum again.

Anastasia eyes the pots and pans' hanging over Hannibal stove and makes the decision that she needs one. With quick feet, Anastasia moves in that direction quickly grabbing a satay pan off the hanging rack and whirls around to face the attacker.

"You bitch! I can see why he likes you. You have a lot of fire in you!" The attacker shouts, confirming that they were associated with Anastasia's ex.

Back stepping, Anastasia glances behind her to see that Hannibal vanish from his spot. Her eyes went back to the attacker, who lunge forwards but he met a leg that stuck out from behind the kitchen island.

Hannibal manage to trip the attacker and watches as Anastasia gets into this batting stance with the pan as her bat and swings with perfect precision.

A loud clang echo through the kitchen as the pan met the attacker's face and then a thud as the attacker collapse on their back, unconscious from the blunt force. Anastasia stares down at the unconscious attacker, unaffected at her action.

Pulling himself up, Hannibal groans a bit and wraps his right hand over his chest and puts pressure on his chest. Hearing his groan, Anastasia drop the pan on the kitchen island and was beside Hannibal with this paternal look.

"What should we do with him?" Anastasia ask Hannibal as the two stood there, staring at the unconscious attacker that was surely Zane's protégé.

"That's up to you, Ana." Hannibal drawls, wincing when he took a deep inhale. He begin to put pressure on various points of his chest, checking to see if anything was fracture or broken that he might have to get check out.

Her eyes widen as she looks up at Hannibal, visibly showing that she was shock that he was asking her to make a decision. Usually there wouldn't be a decision to make. It was always; call the law enforcement to take the deviant individual away. However, the way Hannibal told her was like she has to make a decision.

Anastasia stares at the unconscious attacker. Her expression becomes unemotional and her thoughts of revenge over conquer the society's morals. Ultimately, she wants to make her ex suffer like he had and was making her suffer in fear. She knew that if her ex unexpectedly took in this protégé as his own then he must feel something for them.

Her decision was made.

Unfortunately, Anastasia didn't know how Hannibal would react.

"Ana, I believe that they are waking again. What is your decision?"

Anastasia steps away from Hannibal, grabs the pan again and hits the groaning attacker over the head again, rendering them unconscious once again. Hannibal eyebrows rose temporarily at her action before relaxing.

"He is making me feel fear again and I do not want to. I'm finally bold and brave again. Living freely…I'm feeling selfish, Hannibal." Anastasia tells him, staring down at the body before looking at Hannibal with a keen look that made the hairs on his body to rise.

"What do you want to do, Ana? Tell me." Hannibal asks, stepping towards her with a sharp grin. He was delighted upon seeing Anastasia becoming viciously independent.

Anastasia stares straight at Hannibal with a serious expression of no shame. It felt paradoxical that she was thinking like a violent individual, especially escaping from her ex, but she was seeing this as an eye for an eye situation.

"I want to make Zane suffer like the way he has made me suffer for years." Anastasia decides, not a flicker of second thought flicker in her eyes.

Closing the small distance between their bodies, Hannibal chest brushes against Anastasia right arm. He knew that whatever Anastasia was going to do with him, he could picture her being indefatigable as she makes Zane's protégé suffer like Zane has done to her.

"You're not selfish, Ana."

Her sea foam green eyes got this twinkle of unkindness for this attacker. Hannibal was delighted to see her go from an angelic woman to a bold and vicious hunter.

"No?"

"No, Ana, you are powerful." Hannibal purrs, his eyes darkening with eagerness.

…**..**

…**.. Next Day: …..**

…**..**

No words were exchange about the attacker last night to Caius. Instead, the next morning, Anastasia ask her father to pick Mischa up while she was going to the spa to relax herself.

It was a lie, but Anastasia had to have her father take Mischa for the day for Hannibal was helping Anastasia get rid of a thorn that was poking Anastasia and Hannibal in the side.

…**..**

Ice cold water was splash upon the unknown attacker causing them to jolt awake and begins to move, but realize they were strap down to a surgical table.

"You're not just a psychiatrist, are you?"

Hannibal looks up from placing the steel bucket on the ground and he stares at Anastasia standing on the other side of the surgical table. The unknown attacker begins to struggle, but the straps on the table prevent them from doing so.

"No, I'm not, Anastasia."

"You're a killer too, aren't you?" Anastasia blurts out, watching Hannibal lifts the blanket cloth off a tool of surgical instruments. She watches as he pulls on black leather gloves with a peaceful manner as if he has done this many times.

"I find myself as an ethical chooser, choosing those that I wish to greet with a sharp instrument, especially those that are rude or are threatening to me or others." Hannibal casually informs her with a bold smirk before handing her leather gloves.

"I come to realize that I'm a magnetic for killers." Anastasia takes the leather gloves from him, slipping them on her hand and looks up at a perfectly calm Hannibal.

"Should just accept that, Ana." Hannibal walks around the table to come stand beside her, reaching up to brush the right side of her jawline. Her jaw flex as the cool leather runs down it and comes to her chin, gripping it.

Hannibal turns her head to face him.

"But know this Ana, I'm not like Zane. When it comes to living normally like a regular individual, I do not bring harm to the woman that I openly and genuinely care for." Hannibal gently tells her, his accent becoming slightly deepens as his voice turn a bit husky.

"Oh shit." She whispers as her eyes went back and forth as if she was trying to read something else within his eyes. Hannibal stares at her with confusion and wonder as he was trying to figure her out.

"What?"

"You are like a killer prince charming."

The comment threw him off and he could not stop the abrupt emergence of laughter. Her comments were either ones that threw him off because they were bold to say to him or they were random yet humorist.

"You're optimistic, Ana, did you know that?"

"I think that my old self is coming back to me and it came out of hiding when my reckless move last night." Anastasia admits to which Hannibal nods his head instead of being verbal.

Being so close and were going to be performing a sinful action together, they both unaware were closing the small gap between them.

"Oh, gag me with a spoon." The attacker on the table blurts out causing Anastasia and Hannibal to look down at the attacker.

A quick slap to the groin made the attacker to hiss out in pain and try to curl up into a ball, but couldn't since he was strap to the table. Hannibal couldn't help but wince as he felt a phantom pain go through his groin, knowing the feeling of getting hit there.

"Now, now, Ana, that is a very sensitive spot." Hannibal jests to her in this fatherly way, yet sarcastic.

"Just be glad it isn't you." Anastasia shot back to which Hannibal to lazily put his hands up in a defense manner.

"Good point. Now, let us see who this unpleasant fellow is." Hannibal says, watching Anastasia rip the ski mask off while Hannibal got pick up a scalpel.

The attacker was a male in his mid-thirties, has a few scars on his cheeks and forehead that were fresh. Anastasia has a feeling that her ex-husband did that to this man.

"What's your name?"

"Fuck you! Fuck all of you! You won't get him and he'll find your two and the little bitch. So, go fuck yourself!" The attacker bellows.

Hannibal eyes shut and he felt himself breathing a bit heavily to keep himself calm through the disrespectful words being produce by this unknown man.

"No thank you." Anastasia said, picking up a bit-piece and shoving it into the man's mouth causing him to growl in it. His voice was muffle out and he would gag at the feeling of the bit pushing on his tongue.

"Thank you, Ana." Hannibal opens his eyes back up and he steps towards the table with the scalpel in his right hand.

"Mr. Unknown, have you ever heard of what people reference a lion's den? Usually you don't enter the lion's den because it is terribly dangerous. You have entered the lion's den last night in the kitchen, however, down here you have enter my domain. Some can survive the lion's den with barely any scratches and escape on a whimsy luck. For you, there is no doubt that you are useless on this table, that you are unfortunate to face me, you unabashedly dug your own grave or if you get one Mr. Unknown and you cannot escape my domain once you have entered." Hannibal brings the scalpel towards the attacker's face and rest the tip of it against his cheek.

The attacker and Hannibal stare one another in the eyes. Anastasia glance in between the two, reading their expressions.

The attacker face remind blank, but with him staring Hannibal right in the eyes, there was nothing but fear that was slowly bleeding into them.

And Hannibal, Hannibal face was emotionless. Yet, his eyes were passionately vicious and nothing was going to stop his resentment for this attacker.

For this moment, Anastasia knew that Hannibal was dangerous and powerful than her husband when it comes to taking out their prey.

…**..**

…**.. Few Hours Later: …..**

…**.. **

Sway of the hips as she walks up the steps of the hidden basement underneath his home, Hannibal couldn't deny that he was checking her out greedily.

After hours of taking care of the attacker, getting only little information about Anastasia's ex, Hannibal let Anastasia have the pleasure to finish the attacker off with a slice through the neck.

Pure adrenaline was still pumping through Hannibal's veins and the dark animalistic side of him was still loose from its cage. Seeing Anastasia by his side and helping him out, Hannibal was not only feeling enthusiastic, but barely able to contain himself from being turn on. The event that took fold made Hannibal zealous and he wants to use this passionate emotion to Anastasia. Everything in him was running down lower south too.

With Anastasia presence through everything and now before him, walking into the kitchen while he shuts the cellar floor door then walks out of the pantry room, Hannibal was deciding whether or not to approach her headstrong or slyly lure her in.

As Hannibal moves towards her with intentions of having her, a cough echoes through the kitchen.

Both Hannibal and Anastasia turn to see Caius standing there with his overcoats suit off, his arms cross over his chest to show his muscles flexing underneath his light blue button up long sleeve shirt and a very stern look across his face.

"Dad, what are you—"

"You two, living room now."

"Mischa?"

"Napping. Living room now." Caius jeers at them before making his way to the living room.

"When he is like this, we are in trouble." Anastasia mumbles as Hannibal and she make their way to the living room.

Caius was already sitting in an armchair with his legs cross and his hands resting on either arms of the chair. His icy pale blue eyes were sharp today and were staring down the two middle age adults down in a cynical manner.

"Where is he?"

"Not here." Hannibal answers before Anastasia could utter a word.

Hannibal stares down Caius, not wanting to ever feel that feeling of chills when Caius stares him down with those devil blue eyes. However, Hannibal curses himself in his thoughts when he felt the hairs on his body raise when Caius began to talk in a surly tone with those glaring icy blue eyes.

"Your ex isn't here? Then who is it that you two caught. A mouse?" Caius scold, his hands clenching the front of the arms of the seat.

"How—"

"The pan was dented in the kitchen, you didn't put it back and there were specks of blood on it signaling that you hit the person again. Also, there were some specks of blood here and there with the hint smell of blood too. Now, kindly explain who broke into the house?" Caius reveals then requests one of the two to reply to him.

Hannibal still kept his eyes on Caius, not believing how easily Caius caught them. Yet, this reveals to Hannibal that Caius has done this before or witnesses this sort of act many times. Maybe even perform it himself.

"It was Zane's protégé, dad."

"Is he alive?"

Anastasia shakes her head while Hannibal leans back in the armchair he was in and calmly crosses his right leg over his left. His amber hazel eyes were unfailingly on Caius, who was staring right back at Hannibal, matching his gaze.

"You have done this before."

"I know how to clean up. Do you?" Caius retorts with a clever smirk.

"Oh my, I'm seriously a magnetic for killers." Anastasia mutters after hearing her father tell Hannibal this, both men ignoring what she has said.

She knew her father is a wonderful man, but get on his angry side and you will be facing hell for a while. Upon hearing his retort to Hannibal, realizing that he has done what Hannibal and her just perform.

"More than you know." Hannibal chuckles to which Caius chuckles too.

"Wait, what about Zane? Did you know about his ways?" Anastasia blurts out towards her father.

"Unfortunately no my dear and that greatly upset me." Caius admits to her, running his right hand through his dark hair in a hard manner, showing that he was clearly upset with himself for not finding out about Zane's ways to her.

Nodding her head, she glances in between her father and Hannibal, still seeing that the men were still having a stare down. The thought of a pissing contest of who is dominant was running through Anastasia's thoughts. She manages to hold herself from snorting at this pissing contest thought again and thankful that it wasn't Will, who appears to submit to Hannibal quicker than her father. Though, Anastasia knew her father would never submit or step down from his dominant role of being a powerful man. He flaunts his power through his eyes and his merciless personal.

"You know Dr. Lecter; I believe that you and I will get along very well." Caius valiantly points out.

"I whole-heartedly agree with you, Caius. Glass of wine?" Hannibal stands up asking.

"I do say that sounds wonderful." Caius stands up too.

Getting up herself, Anastasia glances in between the two men and realize that whatever their stare down was and nonverbal to each other, it must've made the two men realize that they would be better if they accept one another. It amaze her at how calm and relax the two were too.

"Ana, do you wish to join?"

"I don't drink, but ice cold water sounds good right now." Anastasia lowly answers and begins to follow the two.

"Are you alright?" Hannibal rests his left hand on her lower back and bent his head down to softly ask her this close to her ear.

"Surprisingly I feel great."

Hannibal stood up straight with a charming smile upon his face and he kept his hand upon her lower back, his thumb slowly moving in a caressing manner.

"That is what I want to hear, Ana. Don't need you thinking too hard when you were staring at your father and me?"

"Well, yeah, you were doing it again."

"Doing what?" Hannibal asks her, dropping his hand from her back to make his way to the pantry room that held his large selection of wine.

"Pissing contest." Anastasia hisses at him causing Caius to look at his daughter with raise eyebrows while Hannibal gives her a wink and sly chuckle.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

**Hi!**

**Some action for everyone in this chapter! **

**I decided to have Anastasia find out the truth about a couple of things. But also, Anastasia is gaining her old self back…hmm, what was her old self like? Innocent or hidden viciousness? **

**(And it was Rosemary Baby for the Caius fun fact!)**

**I'm having fun with writing this story. **

**Anyways, thank you for reading!**

**Please R&amp;R! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter:** Impish Glares

…**..**

…**.. Couple Days Later: …..**

…**..**

It was appropriate to say that Anastasia felt a slight weight off her shoulders after getting rid of Zane's protégé. It felt beneficial to her because she has to deal with one less burdensome that might hurt her or someone close to her in the future. Now, Anastasia was living slightly comfortably, but she could not be careless. She still has to be careful and cautious more than ever because she knew her ex might be looking for revenge for his never to be seen protégé.

"Don't you look like a princess." Anastasia informs her daughter as Anastasia finish the braid trailing on the side of Mischa head that went into a bun.

Mischa let out a cute giggle and she steps away from Anastasia to twirl in her dress. There were shiny silver sequins for the top part while the bottom was flare out skirt/empire waist that was a black color.

Anastasia stood herself up, brushing down her black dress. The dress has a high neck and the torso piece of the dress was all black lace, but there was a nude bodice underneath. The daring part of the dress was the side slit that went up the black skirt of the dress, showing off her right leg when she walks in her silver/black stilettos.

"Mommy, you look pretty."

"Thank you, Mischa and you look pretty too. Now, let's get downstairs before Hannibal turns red and has steam coming out of his ears." Anastasia bent down to her daughter, playfully whispering. Mischa slaps her hands over her mouth to hide her giggling, but a few manage to slip past her lips.

Anastasia smiles and holds her hand out to which Mischa grabs her hand. They walk down the hallway before coming to the main staircase and begin to walk down the wood steps. Both were walking down the stairs at a modest pace and the two brought elegance with the dresses they were wearing.

"Beautiful, ladies." Hannibal bows his head a bit as he compliments them with a charming smile.

"Anni, where are we going again?" Mischa lets go of Anastasia's hand once they reach the bottom of the staircase and she skips up to Hannibal, who holds open her coat for her.

"We are going to an art museum where an operatic performance is taking place."

"So a big lady is singing?"

"Mischa!" Anastasia gasps out while Hannibal bit the inside of his cheek to not laugh. He couldn't help but have clear amusement dancing in his eyes, especially when Mischa was glancing in between Hannibal and Anastasia with an innocent expression, trying to figure out what she did wrong to have her mother say her name.

"But mommy is it; it ain't over till the fat lady sings, right?"

"Yes, that is a colloquialism." Hannibal answers Mischa, but in reply he got a confuse look from Mischa, not knowing what he just said.

"It's a saying Mischa of don't presume the results of something when it is still happening."

"Oh! Well, why didn't you say so? I was just curious." Mischa smiles at the two adults. Anastasia shakes her head with a smile gracing her lips and Hannibal to let out a few chuckles.

"You're too cute." Anastasia says, walking by them as Hannibal picks the four year old up and follows Anastasia out of the house.

…**..**

…**.. Hour Later: …..**

…**..**

Music always brought Anastasia to a serene state and was a valuable talent of hers. But for some odd reason, Anastasia was not a fan of high pitch opera singing. Orchestra in the mix was alright, but just the opera singing has never brought content to Anastasia. To say the least, it was a bit dull to her.

She was a singer herself, but not an opera singer. Anastasia voice was smooth, she could hit the high and the low notes with precision. She was told that she puts power and emotion to lyrics that she sings.

As the opera singer was coming to the end, Anastasia glances down at Mischa. The four year old was staring with wide eyes in wonderment. She knew that Mischa was trying to figure out the format of opera and most likely why the woman was singing like that. Mischa was always a curious little thing and she was always determine to figure out the answer to question, even if whatever was complex for her. Mischa just likes answers to anything that she wishes to figure out.

As the last note clear-cut through the air, Hannibal was the first to rise and clap his hands. Anastasia stood up too, clapping her hands but glancing at her companion for tonight. Seeing the delight on his face and the extra moister in his eyes, Anastasia eyebrows could not help but rise in a cool manner. It wasn't every day that anyone sees Hannibal show emotions other than his impeccable posture of being a respectable gentleman. To Anastasia, she was enchanted firsthand of Hannibal's emotional state. Fortunately it disappears once everyone begins to clear out of the room to enter the gallery of the museum for a gathering.

"Emotional, Hannibal?" Anastasia warmly grins at him.

"It was a well-developed and serene piece, Ana. Did you not think so?"

"Yes." She utter a bit to quickly that she was mentally scolding herself because Hannibal was now looking down at her with a charming yet unbalance smirk.

"Ana." Hannibal stares down at her while resting his right hand on her lower back. Mischa was walking in front of them with a bounce in her step and making sure she stuck close to the two adults.

"Okay, I'm not one for opera singing." Anastasia admits.

"Aren't you a singer yourself?"

"I prefer the term musician. But I do not sing like that. Opera singing is dull to me."

"Dull?" Hannibal queried a distraught expression flash across his face before it went blank.

"Yes. Sorry, I just was never capture by it when I was introduce to it." Anastasia tells him just as they enter the large gallery of the posh art museum.

After that comment, Hannibal and Anastasia were staring each other down, their gazes gripping one another and neither wants their gaze to falter from one another. The gaze was broken when Mischa taps the side of Anastasia's waist.

"Yes, Mischa?" Anastasia looks down at her pride and joy.

"I need to use the ladies room."

Pulling away from Hannibal, the warmth of his hand was still presence on her lower back. Anastasia took Mischa's hand in hers and she looks at Hannibal with a smile.

"Be right back."

"I'll be waiting." Hannibal replies with a nod. He grabs a champagne glass from a cater server that was going by him. His eyes stay on the two Cerise females with a gleam in his eyes.

"Hannibal! Good to see you are here."

Hannibal turns to see Mrs. Komeda and the usual posse that seem to tail behind her wherever she goes. Quickly, Hannibal put up a flawless and force boyish smile onto his lips even though his inner demon was growling in annoyance, for he was always facing this gregarious group. Although, having this group in his 'social circle,' he keeps up the mask of being a respectable and formal gentleman.

There were some new faces in the group that trailed Mrs. Komeda like lost puppies. A few women that were sending him this frivolously looks and sultry smiles that he finds them to be foolish and trying too hard to impress.

"Is Anastasia here tonight with you, Hannibal?" Mrs. Komeda asks.

"Yes, she is and Mischa too." Hannibal grins before lifting his glass up and taking a sip of his champagne. His eyes casting over everyone and his eyes saw that the few new female's faces made a jealous expression. Now, Hannibal could not wait for Anastasia to come back in all her glory and show these women up.

"You're one lucky man, Lecter." Mr. Whites said causing his wife to roll her eyes at him, but couldn't help but cast Hannibal a friendly smile.

The Whites were an older couple that always fond over other couples that look good together. With Hannibal having Anastasia on his side as of late, they always gave him a look of approval. Not that he needs it. He already knows that Anastasia was a woman that many would desire to tame.

"Ah, there she is!" Mrs. Whites exclaims, throwing her arms up and a flashy smile came upon her lips.

Hannibal turns and gives Anastasia a roguish smirk causing her to shoot back a gentle smile. Their smiles complemented each other and soothes down the other.

"Sorry, about coming into this grouping late. Had to take care of some motherly duties." Anastasia informs with a wink causing the group to gently chuckle, but coo over the cuteness of Mischa beside her.

"Anastasia, you are looking gorgeous as always."

"You too, Mrs. Whites and you too, Mrs. Komeda." Anastasia replies, glancing in between the two older women.

That comments cause the two older women to be delighted and were lure in Anastasia kind nature.

"Hannibal, Anastasia, let me introduce to some new faces. Here we got Meredith Chase, Cassie McCoast, and Arthur Steels. Everyone this is Hannibal and Anastasia Lecter." Mrs. Komeda introduce, glancing at Hannibal with a 'go with it' look that Anastasia didn't catch.

Anastasia open her mouth to correct Mrs. Komeda for her mistake in her introduction, but Anastasia froze as Hannibal wraps his left arm around her waist and holds her close. He puts his mouth against her ear.

"Mrs. Komeda did that on purpose so that those two women would stop directing their suggestive glances at me."

"Well, doesn't that boost your ego?" Anastasia hisses in reply.

Hannibal chuckles while standing straight up and lifting his glass up to take a long sip of the bubbly champagne. He's starting to find this outgoing and bold Anastasia a delight.

Even though the introduction was to put a point across to the two new women, they reduce their glances at Hannibal, but were still were brave enough to keep doing it. Anastasia try to be discreet about it, but it was bugging her like a mosquito circling blood.

Hannibal kept Anastasia close and couldn't help but compare her to everyone in the room rather than these two women. There was no doubt that Anastasia turns heads and gets look over more than twice. These two women staring her down don't compete against Anastasia appearance and definitely not her personality.

"So, how long have you two been married?" Cassie slyly asks, shooting Anastasia a sassy look.

"Five years." Anastasia replies before Hannibal could utter a word.

Hannibal glances down at Anastasia and saw nothing friendly across her face. She was going to show her resentment to these two women if she has to. He was debating in his head whether or not how far he should let her express her feelings towards these two women.

"Oh, is that his child?"

"Yes, she is. Why so interest, Ms. McCoast?" Hannibal, this time, answers with sharpness to his tone that causes Cassie to take a slight step back. He decided to say that Mischa was his to add more fuel to this fire of how Anastasia was his 'wife.' But also, the bringing up the four year old just sent something off inside Hannibal.

"Just wondering." Cassie meekly replies, taking a long gulp of her drink in her hand.

The tension raise in the air causing Mrs. Komeda to clear her throat and wave it off. She did, however, shoot the two women a disapproval look before looking at Hannibal and Anastasia.

"Well, let's shake the elephant out of the room and get to the point of when you are going to start cooking for us again, Hannibal." Mrs. Komeda shoots his a small scowl with her hands on her petite hips.

For the next minute, Mrs. Komeda manages to beg Hannibal in having a dinner party after a gathering. Hannibal agrees and told them that he would host one next week after a gather. The older woman was being dramatic yet complimenting Hannibal's cooking skills and manages Hannibal to unwilling give in. In Anastasia mind, she was thinking how Hannibal gave in to shut the woman up.

"I believe this young man is trying to get your attention." Mrs. Komeda loudly declares as she stares behind Anastasia and Hannibal.

Anastasia rest her hand upon Mischa's left shoulder, a wave of protection wash over her upon hearing about a man wanting their attention. For a second, she thought of Zane and upon seeing a short stubby man with a taller man, Anastasia felt herself slightly relaxing.

"Hello." Hannibal grins.

Glancing at Hannibal in the corner of her eyes, Anastasia could see Hannibal eyes flash irritation then it was hidden. Whoever this man was to Hannibal, the man wasn't on Hannibal's good side.

"Hi! So good to see you."

Mischa head tilts to the side, trying to figure out who this man was. Anastasia glances down at her daughter, seeing that she was studying this man with a calculating look. Before Anastasia could bend down to tell Mischa to not blurt out what was on her mind, Mischa blurts out what was on her mind.

"I'm Mischa, who are you? You look nervous and fidgety." Mischa points out with a careless look, not thinking whether it's rude or not to point this out.

"Alright, Mischa, enough with the analyzing." Anastasia bends down, gently whispering into her daughter's ear.

Mischa looks up at her Anastasia with an innocent smile making Anastasia to smile back down at her daughter. Hannibal smirks at Mischa yet found Mischa's observation funny because a four year old can tell that Franklyn Froidevaux suffers from anxiety and being paranoid.

The others in the group couldn't help but chuckle, but manage to hide their amusement behind their champagne glasses or hands.

"Um, right, I'm Franklyn and this is my friend, Tobias." Franklyn quickly blurts out, staring down at the little girl that was eyeing him with radiant silver blue eyes. He moves unsteadily on his feet as Mischa's eyes were a bit haunting to him. His friend Tobias moves forwards to shake Hannibal's hand.

As Hannibal and Tobias shook hands, the two stare one another down with imperturbable facial appearance. Hannibal saw this insidious glint in Tobias eyes and the way he stuck his chin up in a high and mighty manner. Hannibal senses were keen and he knew that Tobias was spiteful.

No one in the group took in the exchange of Hannibal and Tobias, except Anastasia. Anastasia saw eyes like Tobias's before. The malicious and sinful side that her ex had in his posture so many times. Hannibal has the sinful side too, but Tobias is like a leaking faucet, not caring if anyone else can see his ways. For Hannibal, he is well-developed and behaves to contain his predator side.

"Good evening." Hannibal greets, letting go of Tobias hand and the two still stare one another down until Mrs. Komeda broke it up.

"How do you two know each other?" Mrs. Komeda asks, glancing at Hannibal then towards Franklyn with curious eyes.

"That should remind some mystery of my life outside the opera." Hannibal inquires, giving everyone a charming grin. He steps closer to Anastasia and rests his left hand upon her lower back; taking note of how Franklyn warily eyes the way Hannibal is touchy with Anastasia.

"I'm one of his patients." Franklyn blurts out with a sheepish smile.

Blinking with wide eyes of surprise, Anastasia mouth drop slightly before glancing at Hannibal. She saw his mouth tighten and become a flat line. Biting her lower lip, Anastasia looks down at Mischa, not wanting to see Hannibal leer at this man or rather his patient, with a sour look. Overall, she knew this patient of Hannibal was impure in Hannibal eyes—definitely after bluntly admitting this.

"Oh." Mrs. Komeda awkwardly put in, not knowing what else to say in reply.

"Did you enjoy the performance?" Hannibal quickly asks, not wanting anyone to question more of the subject of Franklyn being his patient.

His fingers span out on her back, hence, Anastasia looks back up at Hannibal. She felt his fingers slowly moving on her back in this comforting way. Though, she begins to think that he was doing this to not do anything irresponsible to his patient. Thereby, Anastasia stays relax as he keeps caressing her back. For Hannibal sees Franklyn as inconsequential to him and a great annoyance too.

"I did. I loved it. Every minute." Franklyn beams, literally bouncing on the heels of his feet.

The enthusiastic Franklyn was a bit too energetic for the groups liking it appears. Anastasia was trying to keep some sort of staid look and hoping she doesn't get a twitch of annoyance. She could be enthusiastic at times, but she could see how excited Franklyn becomes when Hannibal stares or talks to him. Seeing Franklyn reaction to Hannibal, Anastasia can tell that Franklyn is a bit obsess with Hannibal.

"His eyes kept wandering. Most interest in you then what was happening on the stage." Tobias announces to which Franklyn turns red with embarrassment while the group tense up again.

The awkwardness was looming over the group and they could all feel it as everyone seem to fidget in some way in their spots.

"Oh, don't say too much. You must leave something for us to discuss next week." Hannibal replies, forcing a smirk upon his lips.

Feeling a tug on his suit pant leg, Hannibal looks down to see Mischa wants his attention. Bending over, but keeping his eyes upon Franklyn and Tobias, Mischa cups Hannibal's left ear with her tiny hands and begins to whisper.

"He's turning really red like a tomato."

Hannibal chuckles at Mischa's statement, but quickly clears his throat as he stood up straight again. Anastasia was glancing in between her daughter and Hannibal, wondering what was exchange between the two.

"Franklyn, it was good to see you." Hannibal holds his hand out, shaking Franklyn then shaking Tobias hand.

"Tobias." Hannibal drawls, eyes narrowing slightly at the man.

Their exchange was making Anastasia very wary, wondering why Hannibal was putting up an immediate guard when it came to meeting this Tobias fellow.

Once the two men left the group, Hannibal turns to the group with an innocent smile.

"Who's hungry?" Hannibal casually muses out causing the group to laugh, glad that the awkwardness atmosphere was now gone.

Hours later, Hannibal was carrying a sleeping Mischa in his arms with a half-asleep Anastasia walking along his side. Entering the house, Anastasia took Mischa from Hannibal and she went straight upstairs.

Hannibal walks around his home, checking if everything was in place and seeing if there might've been any unwelcoming guest. Since Anastasia's ex is on the loose and near, Hannibal was being cautious, just in case.

Turning on a downstairs hallway lamp on, Hannibal then makes his way upstairs. He pauses in the doorframe of Mischa's room, watching Anastasia put a now pajama clad Mischa to bed and tucking her in.

Turning away from Mischa, Anastasia felt herself jump in fright upon seeing Hannibal standing in the doorframe. Her right hand came up to rest against her chest, feeling her heart fluttering wildly in her chest.

"Did I startle you?"

"Yes." Anastasia gasps, walking out of the bedroom and shutting the door behind her.

Standing face to face with small space in between them, the two took each other in.

"Those women eye you Hannibal as if you were made of their favorite desserts." Anastasia states, turning away from him and she begins to make way down the hallway in the direction of her bedroom.

"Jealous?" Hannibal tested, tucking his hands in his pant suit pockets.

Pausing in front of the bedroom door, her left hand was resting on the bedroom doorknob before glancing to her right to stare at Hannibal. Mirth was gleaming within her eyes.

"Jealous? Of those women? No, no, I'm not that drug by you."

"Am I bad?"

"No. There is no doubt that you are attractive, Hannibal. You even know it. I'm just a woman that looks at a man for more than his looks."

"And what do I look like in your eyes, Ana?" Hannibal questions, head tilting a bit to the side.

"Powerful. Well-behaved and respectful. Level-headed and I can go on about your gentleman ways. You're strong, Hannibal in a lot of senses."

"Think you can handle me, Ana?" Hannibal playfully and boldly asks.

A warmhearted laugh escapes Anastasia lips and a pleasant grin appears on Hannibal lips.

"I think that I should be asking you that doctor about me. Nighty, night, Hannibal." Anastasia winks at him before entering her bedroom.

He was thankful that he has great patience for anything, especially not storming into Anastasia room and taking her like an animal in heat.

"Who's going to crack first?" Hannibal muses to himself as he strolls down the hallway in the direction of his master bedroom.

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**Hello readers!**

**Hope everyone is enjoying the story thus far! Thanks for the reviews; I enjoy every one I get! **

**Please R &amp; Review! **

**Thanks! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter: **Yearning

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…**.. Few Days Later: …..**

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Rapping knuckles against the dark wood door, Anastasia turns her head to the right and listens for anyone inside the master bedroom. There was a small hint of a murmur of 'come in.' Adjusting the knee-length blue kimono silk style robe to make sure it was covering up her body, Anastasia rests her hand on the dark gold doorknob.

Opening the door, Anastasia slowly and gently shuts it behind her. Stepping further into the master bedroom, she took in her surroundings of the luxurious bedroom. The main colors were dark blue, white and dark grey. The king size bed was unmade on one side making Anastasia to know that Hannibal must've just gotten up and hasn't return from wherever he was, to make it.

Taking a few more steps into the room, Anastasia stares at the desk near the fireplace and saw a few picture frames. Swiftly and on her toes, Anastasia walks in that direction.

Coming up to the desk, Anastasia takes it in. Seeing black leather bound journal, fountain pen perfectly place beside it, books, a few cultural knick-knacks from places around the world, desk lamp, and then there were two small wooden picture frames with old photos that were a bit worn down.

Leaning forwards, Anastasia was taking in the photos of a man and of a woman when she felt a brush across the back of her neck. Instantly, Anastasia is startle and went to turn, but hands grasp her hips and held her in place. A solid and broad chest was press up against her back.

"Good morning to someone who is being intrepid." Hannibal warm breath brushes against her ear.

"Morning, Hannibal and you should know that I have been feeling brave lately."

"Indeed." Hannibal replies, resting his chin upon her right shoulder and staring at the photos with her.

"May I ask who these individuals are?" Anastasia glances at him in the corner of her eyes before her eyes went back to staring at the photos.

"The man is my Uncle Robertus, who raise me up to the age of sixteen before my aunt, Lady Murasaki, in this picture frame, raise me." Hannibal points at the two photos, explaining to her.

"I see. She is beautiful."

"Indeed, she is." Hannibal agrees, staring at the photo of his aunt before turning his head so that his face was towards Anastasia neck. His nose ran down her smooth neck, taking in her scent of fresh rainfall. Anastasia manage to stay imperturbable the whole time as the tip of his nose was brushing up then down the side of her neck.

"What pleasure do I owe for seeing you this early in the morning?" Hannibal purrs into her ear and then laying his lips underneath her ear causing her to slightly tense up before relaxing. A smirk came onto his lips upon her reaction and then quickly relaxing to his tenderly actions.

"Mischa's birthday."

Pulling away from her neck, Hannibal steps away from her to allow Anastasia to turn and stare at him with a small grin.

"Her birthday is today?"

"Yes. My father has managed to get what I told him to get for her. But I come here this morning to ask is it possible to make her a cake."

"Of course." Hannibal steps to her, reaching out and resting his right hand against the side of her neck.

His thumb moving in a slow circular way on her pulse that was beating normally like her heart. She wasn't letting him get to her and here, Hannibal thought that her heart would be beating wildly from his touches. She shocks him once again with her returning to normal self and he could only have an imaginative thought of her being slightly scare of him.

To create imaginary thoughts of her being jumpy or shivering at his caress, Hannibal felt like he wasn't trying hard enough for her to tremble in a passionate way under his touch. He wants to feel the passion from her as he wants to give her the passion that she so deserves.

"Alright. I was just acknowledging the fact that it's your kitchen and I didn't want to do anything messy in it without you knowing." She tells him, trying to keep herself compose from reacting to his touches.

Eventually though, his other hand came to rest upon her hip and the tiny space that was between them was slowly vanishing.

Dimly within either of their eyes was a hint of desire and something else that neither one closely pay attention too. Evidently, there was a glint of something there, but they seem to directly focus on one another before the other. Gently yet eagerly tugging Anastasia against him, bending his head down, Hannibal felt her breath fan across his lips.

Yet, constantly happening there was always someone or something interrupting them.

A soft knock on the door cause a low growl of frustration to escape from Hannibal.

"Ferocious growl, Hannibal."

"Do you blame me?" Hannibal pulls away from her and begins to make his way towards the bedroom door.

"No since we are always frequently interrupted." Anastasia points out as Hannibal opens up the door to show a smiling Anastasia.

"Happy Birthday!" Anastasia gently cheers; kneeling down as Mischa came running into Hannibal's room and into Anastasia arms.

Hannibal stood near the doorway, watching with a lazy grin at the two. Making his way over to the two, Mischa turns to look up at him with a wide excited smile.

"Happy Birthday, Mischa. How old are you know?" Hannibal kneels down to become eye level with her.

"Five." Mischa held up her right hand with her tiny fingers spread apart to show her age.

"You're five now. You are starting to become a big girl." Hannibal tells her, poking her on the nose and getting a giggle from the now five year old.

Standing back up, Hannibal holds out his left hand to Mischa.

"Come on, I'll make your favorite breakfast."

"Banana crepes?" Mischa asks, her eyes widening with uncertainty of whether or not Hannibal meant it as she drops her hand into his.

"Just for the birthday girl." Hannibal assures her then he looks up at Anastasia, holding out his free arm out.

"Will you join us?"

"Of course." Anastasia loops her right arm through his with a smirk.

The three glance at one another then they make their way out of the bedroom and downstairs to make breakfast.

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…**.. Hours Later: …..**

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Bowls were laid out across the breakfast island top, there were minor spills of either flour or cream, and two adults were working around one another.

"Ah, shoot."

"What is the matter?" Hannibal quires, glancing up from frosting one layer of the cake and staring at Anastasia.

"Candles."

"Ah, yes, I forgot to grab those when I went out earlier." Hannibal proclaims, giving himself a mental slap as he forgot the candles when he was out getting Mischa a birthday gift.

"Do you mind if I go and get them?"

"I'll get them. I am the one that told you that I would get them and I have forgotten." Hannibal insists, picking up a kitchen cloth and diligently cleans the frosting from his fingers.

"Are you sure?" Anastasia questions, taking over the role of frosting the cake now while Hannibal cleans himself up and begins to pull on the overcoat of his suit.

"Perfectly." Hannibal reassures her, walking to the counter where his cellphone and keys were.

"Careful on the roads, Hannibal. I see that it's snowing again." Anastasia glances behind her at the glass doors that led into a small backyard before glancing back at him with a concern look.

"I will, Ana." Hannibal winks at her, tucking his cellphone in his pocket and jiggling his keys in his hands as he walks out of the kitchen.

Anastasia looks back down at frosting the cake and continues to neatly make the light pink frosting smooth around the edges. The cake would be this light rose pink with white writing. Fresh strawberries slice in half were going to be on the sides since Mischa loves strawberries.

"What a pleasant sight to see you in the kitchen cooking or rather baking again?" Caius said as he casually strolls in, ripping his winter leather gloves off and depositing them into his coat.

"Thanks, dad. It sounds like you are making me a housewife for Hannibal." Anastasia jokily replies causing Caius to chuckle and shrugs his shoulders. He walks up to her and delivers a kiss on the side of her head.

"Where is Mischa?" Anastasia asks him.

"She's in the living room with her new coloring book that I gotten her. I told her to announce when she thinks about coming in the kitchen because her birthday surprise cake is in here." Caius tells her while plucking a strawberry from the bowl it was in and taking a large bite, humming at how juicy the fruit was.

"You know Ana, he's good for you."

"Dad, I wish not to talk about what you are thinking."

"Ana, the man didn't have to help Mischa and you, but he did. And you can tell that he isn't a man that likes people."

"Dad!" Anastasia laughs, shaking her head as her father holds his hands up in a 'whatever' manner and then drops them onto the marble breakfast island. He reaches out to take another strawberry, but Anastasia reacts with quick precision. She slaps his hand away causing him to let out a fake whimper and her to roll her eyes at him.

"Though really, Ana. Hannibal could have been an insidious ass and ignore Mischa and you. Instead, he has this ideal of, which I'm still actually trying to figure out, taking care of you two."

"Why are you bringing this up suddenly?"

"It has been in my thoughts for a while now, Ana. The man isn't a full kindhearted individual, yet he is an impeccable gentleman." Caius informs her, his left eyebrow rising to emphasize his point.

Anastasia stares at her father, seeing he was being thoughtful about Hannibal. He wasn't being reluctant on his belief comments either.

"What's my ambition, dad? Oh, let me be a delicate flower and whisk me away on a white horse into the sunset."

"Don't use sarcasm with me, Anastasia. All I am saying is don't be illogical and impetuous. Be yourself. I can say that your personality is stronger than ever, stronger than before you married that bastard of an ex of yours."

"You would think the father wouldn't want his little girl to be going for a guy."

"Well, this father wants you to be happy." Caius declares, slapping his hands down on the breakfast island top.

Setting down the frosting spreader, Anastasia moves towards her dad and wraps her arms around him, a warmhearted look upon her face. Caius wraps his arms around her and holds her close, kissing the top of her head. They stood in one another's arms for a bit longer before spreading apart.

"Here. Help out with slicing the strawberries in half, but don't eat them." Anastasia hands the bowl over with a knife and cutting board.

"Fine." Caius growls then laugh as Anastasia stares him down with a 'don't mess with me' look.

"Cut the damn strawberries, dad."

…**..**

…**.. Hour Later: …..**

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The last note of the traditional birthday song ended and Mischa was staring at the two layer cake with wide eyes. Her eyes twinkle as the flames of the candles reflect off them.

"Make a wish, Mischa." Anastasia quickly puts in before Mischa blows out the candles.

Mischa eyes venture off the cake to look at her grandfather to Hannibal and finally her mother. An idea came to Mischa head for a reasonable and thoughtful wish. A wish that she hopes will come true.

'_I wish for mommy to be happy.' _Mischa wishes inside her head before blowing out all the candles with a proud smile.

"What did you wish for?" Caius asks with a smirk.

"I'm not telling you, grandpa." Mischa points out causing Caius to hold his hands up as if he was caught red-handed for his question.

They decided to cut the cake, hand the slices out and while eating cake, let Mischa tear through her presents. Opening up the first one which was from her grandfather, it was a pair of diamond earrings.

"Mommy, look! Grandpa got me pretty earrings!"

"I see. We have to go get your ear pierce." Anastasia smiles before handing Mischa another present which was from Anastasia herself.

Mischa pushes the tissue paper aside and reaches inside to pull out stuff animal lion. Mischa smiles widely as it were her favorite animal. Next, she reaches into the bag again and pulls out a long black box.

"What's this?"

"Open it and find out."

Pulling the top off, there was a silver necklace was nestled in the cotton.

"Ooo, pretty!" Mischa pulls it out and holds it up.

It was a silver necklace with a silver claw holding a pearl. Anastasia gently takes it from Mischa's hands and unclasps it before putting it around her daughter's neck. Clipping the back of it, Mischa looks down at the pearl hanging before her and then looks up at Anastasia with an adorable smile. Anastasia winks back at her daughter before handing her the last present that was from Hannibal.

Anastasia stood beside Hannibal and felt his left hand rest upon her lower back. This time she didn't even think about his hand being there. For now it felt incomplete when his hand wasn't there when she would stand next to him.

Opening the gift, there was a silver twist bangle bracelet with writing engraves in another language on the side. There was a small diamond on either side of the writing.

"Mommy, it says my name." Mischa points out.

"What else does it say?"

"It says, 'brighten the world with your smile.' In my native tongue, Lithuania." Hannibal answers, reaching out to help Mischa put the bracelet on.

"That's beautiful." Anastasia whispers, staring at the bracelet before looking up and meeting her father's icy blue eyes. There was a knowing look in his eyes and a small smirk. His eyes glance at Hannibal then back at her with raise eyebrows. All Anastasia could do was grin at her dad and she looks back at Hannibal with a warm smile.

…**..**

…**.. Nighttime: …..**

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Quietly slicing through the chocolate cake and bringing it to her lips, Anastasia slips the moist chocolate goodness into her mouth. She shuts her eyes as she tremendously enjoys the sweet chocolate taste.

"Enjoying your late night snack, Ana?"

Jumping then coughing as the piece she swallow went down a bit slow, she holds her right hand over her mouth as she looks up to see Hannibal standing at the bottom of the steps. She picks up the milk that was beside the plate and takes a gulp of milk to wash everything down.

"Um, yes." Shyly replying while looking down at the plate with an almost finish chocolate cake slice. Looking back up, Anastasia watches as Hannibal walks towards her in a stealthily manner and comes to stand beside her.

Slicing through the cake and making a bitable size, she stabs the fork through the piece and then holds it up to Hannibal.

"Ana."

"Please." Anastasia pouts a little causing him to shake his head and lean forwards as she brings the fork up with a victorious smirk.

As Hannibal eats the piece, his eyes stare straight into Anastasia eyes. His eyes suddenly get the gleam of maroon red in them while Anastasia sea foam green eyes glows. He takes the fork from her without breaking her stare and he stabs it into the cake, breaking another piece from the cake and holding the fork up to her lips.

A playful glint appears in his eyes as she grins at him. Anastasia this time bites the piece off the fork and winks at Hannibal. That causes the fork to drop out of his hand and make a clank sound as it bounce off the breakfast island marble top.

Reaching out with both hands, Hannibal lays his right hand on the side of her neck and his left on her hip, tugging her forwards into him. This time they didn't have to worry about interruption.

Leaning forwards then stop, their lips were barely touching as they stare one another in the eyes.

"What are you waiting for prince charming?"

"I'm far from prince charming." Hannibal purrs to her before victoriously taking hold of her lips with his.

Her hands tenderly yet sedately ran down his chest then back up to wrap her arms around his neck. His arms drop to wrap around the middle of her back and presses her close. Their lips moving against one another as if they were afraid that one would disappear or this wasn't actually and finally happening to them.

"YES!"

Rigidly pulling apart from one another, they both turn their head in the direction of the staircase where a smiling Mischa was standing.

"Mischa, what are you doing up?"

"I was thirsty, but my wish came true."

Hearing this, Anastasia and Hannibal were still in each other's arms and therefore look at one another with raise eyebrows before looking back at the now five year old.

"What are you going on about, Mischa?"

"I wish for you to be happy, mommy."

That was a tear jerker for Anastasia and she slowly pulls away from Hannibal. He could see the emotions emerging on Anastasia face as she walks towards her daughter with a gentle smile.

"Mommy, you're crying." Mischa worriedly points out, staring at Anastasia, who kneels down before Mischa.

"No, Mischa, I'm thankful for having a daughter like you." Pulling her daughter into a hug and kissing the side of her head with a joyous smile.

Everything was perfect for now.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**Well, I can say finally with the whole kissing thing. **

**Anyways, I hope this isn't too quick…**

**So, thanks for reading and please review (It doesn't hurt to do so!)**

**Also, thanks to those that have been reviewing thus far. The positive reviews are great!**

**Thanks!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter:** The Desire Dam Has Broken Part One

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…**.. Few Days: …..**

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A gasp escapes Anastasia lips as lips brush the side of her neck. Her eyes look down to see hands on either side of her, trapping her against the breakfast island.

"Good morning, Ana."

"Morning, Hannibal." Anastasia softly replies, right hand reaching back to brush her fingertips against the side of his face.

"You're feeling a bit rough on the cheeks, Hannibal."

"I remember someone saying about a goatee."

Anastasia turns around to face Hannibal, reaching up and running her fingertips around his chin and over his lips. He smirks at her once she drops her hand back to her side.

"Hmm."

"Is a good or bad sign?"

"I'm curious to see to outcome." Anastasia tells him, leaning up onto her tippy toes to peck his lips. His hands came to rest on her lower back, his fingers spanning out on her back and he keeps her up against him so he could give her a proper morning kiss.

Pulling away from each other, Hannibal moves away from her to allow her to continue making coffee.

"I have to work early today and also, a guest is coming over tonight."

"Oh?" Anastasia holds out a cup to him to which he takes and sips the hot drink.

"Yes. Tobias."

"Tobias? Was it that man who was with your patient at the opera the other night?"

"Yes, that one." Hannibal replies, grudgingly thinking about Franklyn blurting out how he was Hannibal's patient in front of everyone.

"Private dinner?"

"If you don't mind."

"I don't. My father wants to take Mischa and me to the movies. Or rather, Mischa, who wants to see some movie with princesses and something doing with ice? I have no clue." Anastasia shrugs her shoulders as she brought the coffee cup to her lips and takes a sip of her coffee.

This would be the first time that both girls at the same time would be out of his sight. Even though it was her father that they were going to be with, Hannibal felt obligated to have Anastasia and Mischa within his surroundings. Therefore, without them presence, he felt he was going to be paranoid for the rest of the night. Usually he would brush that feeling off, not wanting to feel anything, but with these girls, they were different. He thought it was of the coincidence of their names, having Mischa in them, but as time goes on, there was something about them that he has to have them with him.

"I also have to enlist Mischa into school." Anastasia adds in, setting her cup down and glancing at Hannibal with a mild grin.

"How about tonight we can look at schools for her?" Hannibal offers as he wants Mischa going to a good school. Mischa was a bright girl and Hannibal wants her brightness to shine and grow. Also, Hannibal knows that Anastasia wants the best for her daughter.

"Well, alright, we can do that tonight." Anastasia answers him.

"Good. Now, I must get to my practice building. The patient that has this early time always shows up a half an hour before their appointment." Hannibal tells her.

"That must be annoying."

"When they are sitting on the steps of the practice building, it can be." Hannibal says.

He finishes the rest of his coffee and washes the cup out then puts it on the drying rack. As Hannibal walks by Anastasia, he lays his lips on top of her head and keeps his lips there.

"Careful today. Anything goes wrong or seems suspicious, don't hesitate to call me."

"Will do, Hannibal." Her sea foam green eyes twinkle upon seeing how he was acting to her. Her ex was never like this, well at the beginning of their marriage yes, but after a few months he was a complete asshole and only becoming worse as times goes.

One more kiss on the head and Hannibal's pulls away and leaves the kitchen. Anastasia stands there, but turns around to lean her back against the breakfast island. Her eyes look out the glass doors to the backyard, staring at the snow that was a blanket for the earthly ground.

It was peaceful for now and Anastasia basks in the moment for every second that goes by. Peacefulness to Anastasia appears to be rare now. Though, it won't be fully peaceful until her ex was capture or was gone for good. Then Anastasia could fully live with a smile on her face every day with her father, Mischa and Hannibal.

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…**.. Hours Later; Late Evening: …..**

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Walking side by side, Caius and Anastasia were grinning as Mischa was twirling, skipping, and singing out of the movie theater. They had just watch the new movie 'Frozen' and Mischa absolutely fell in love with the characters and songs.

"Mommy, you should sing those songs." Mischa whirls around, hands clasps together in front of her as she jumps up and down on her toes.

"Maybe." Anastasia smiles moving forwards to grab Mischa's hand as they were crossing the road to the other side of the road where Caius parks his Bentley.

"Indeed, you should sing those songs." Caius agrees, smirking at his daughter.

"And I said maybe." Anastasia replies, opening the back door of the Bentley and helping Mischa into the vehicle, buckling her up once sitting.

Once all of them were in the car, Caius pulls out of the parking spot and onto the road. They sat in silence until Caius begins to speak.

"Hannibal said he had guest over?"

"Yes. A person from the opera or rather his patient's friend. You should have seen them that night. The two were glaring at one another with such intensity, impulsive and unfriendly. I was waiting for a fist to go." Anastasia explains, shaking her head and keeping her eyes forwards on the snowy road.

"Hannibal is an unpredictable man. Never know what he is thinking and for that it makes him sharp and lethal."

"That's what I want to hear dad, thanks." Anastasia scoffs, glaring at him.

"Oh, don't be dramatic. He's different with Mischa and you."

"Oh?"

"Yes, he only shows his hidden and rare sentimental side to you." Caius tells her with a chuckle, especially when she sticks her tongue out at him.

Anastasia glances to the backseat and grins as the vehicle manage to lull Mischa to sleep. Mischa was Anastasia little angel and her most precious gift she has ever has, even if her ex was a psychotic bastard. Anastasia receive an angel.

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…**.. Hannibal's Home: …..**

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It was unexpected and a great surprise when Will showed up at his home with an excited and distraught. Hannibal couldn't lie that he felt a bit frustrated that Will show up during the dinner with Tobias, who admits to seeing Hannibal killing a man.

Now, in the kitchen, Hannibal was preparing the dessert that Tobias and he were going to have until Will show up and Tobias ran off.

"I kiss Alana." Will admits, running his right hand over his mouth and down his chin. A shy smile comes onto his face causing Hannibal to smirk at seeing the gifted unbalance profiler's boyish goal come true.

"Hannibal, we are back fr—oh, good evening, Will." Anastasia appears in the kitchen with a surprise look. Her eyes went over to Hannibal with a questionable look now since she knew that it supposed to be Tobias here not Will. Hannibal just gives her a slight shake of his head making her to look away and give Will a smile.

"I wanted to say that we are back from the movies. I'm going to go put the little one to bed." Anastasia tells Hannibal with a smile causing him to give her a charming smile back. His eyes stay on her as she walks up the kitchen stairs that led right up and near their bedrooms.

Will did not help but notice the way that Anastasia and Hannibal stare at one another or how serene their smiles were. Will turns to look at Hannibal with a knowing smirk to which Hannibal looks back at him with an innocent expression.

"Why the look, Will?"

"You kiss her!"

"Well, she is very kissable and I'm not the only one who thinks she is attractive in looks and personality, either. Her frequent affection is forever addicting." Hannibal answers, not going to lie to Will. Also, in a way, admitting about Anastasia and him being affection with one another, it was evident that Anastasia was now Hannibal.

"Seems like both of us had a good night."

"I suppose. But you seem a bit unbalance too, Will."

"Yeah, well, maybe not a full good night for me. It appears that Alana doesn't think we should go any further then friends because of my psychological problems." Will admits, sighing out and tucking his hands in his slack pockets.

"You kiss Dr. Bloom to keep yourself on ground, Will and not see yourself having any problems."

"You're saying that I kiss her to feel normal."

"To put it fair, yes." Hannibal tells Will before pushing the plate of dessert over to Will and places a spoon beside it.

Sighing and giving Hannibal a tiny grin, Will picks up the spoon and begins to digs into the dessert. Hannibal eyes Will with a blank expression before digging into his dessert.

For another hour, Will stayed and talks with Hannibal until he left when he found how late it was getting. Hannibal was in the kitchen, cleaning up the plates when he felt a draft of air brush his neck. Shutting his eyes, he deep inhales and fondly grins upon smelling the familiar rainfall scent.

Setting down the wine glass he was drying, Hannibal turns around and wraps his arm around Anastasia waist.

"Trying to sneak up on me, Ana."

"How?"

"You smell of the aftermath of rainfall. It's fresh and crisps. Cleansing to my senses and cleansing everything it touches and giving everything its pure natural smell. It is pleasant and refreshing." Hannibal tenderly explains, holding her close to him and brushing the tip of his nose through her dark hair.

"Have you ever thought of being a poet?"

A deep chuckle escapes him and he pulls away to stare into her sea foam green eyes that reminds of him newly born mint leaves.

"No, I have not."

"Well, you can reserve that talent for future hobbies." Anastasia pats his chest, feeling his chest pecs flex underneath her touch.

"I'll keep that in mind." Hannibal tells her, pulling away from her to go back to drying the dishes and glasses.

"Let me help you." Anastasia offers and steps beside him, grabbing the kitchen towel he holds out to her.

Together and diligently working with a few exchanges of words, they finish drying everything within ten minutes. Anastasia was pressing her left hand on the counter and boosting herself up to put a glass away when an arm came underneath her butt and boost her up.

"Hmm, I got my own booster seat." Anastasia says before yelping as Hannibal turns her into his arms and put both of his arms underneath her butt. Her hands were on his shoulders to keep herself balance and her legs unconsciously were resting on either side of his hips.

"Impeccable."

"You or me because you are a flawless man, doctor."

"Everyone has flaws, Ana." Hannibal tells her, carrying her towards the stairs and carrying her up them effortlessly.

"Very true on that." Anastasia agrees, feeling herself being set back down on her feet but she kept her arms around his neck. Leaning up, Hannibal met her hallway and gives her a passionate kiss that made her want more.

"Night." Anastasia whispers against his lips before pulling away and opening her bedroom door behind her.

Hannibal bit the inside of his cheek and felt his hands flex on either side of him. He kept himself balance and not go after her because he didn't want to frighten her. But his burning passion for her was getting to him and he hates himself for letting an emotion get to him.

Going to his bedroom, Hannibal unties his paisley tie in an aggressive manner and throws it on one of the leather armchairs that was before the fireplace. His overcoat suit jacket join and soon his shoes were kick off somewhere. It was ridiculous at how effected he was of Anastasia and he was becoming piss off at himself for throwing a slight tantrum.

As Hannibal went to rip his button up shirt off, he thought that he heard a soft knock on his bedroom door but he wasn't sure if he was a knock or him stomping around. He just let out a grunt as he pulls his shirt off and begin to make his way to the connect on bathroom of his bedroom.

Until he froze in his step upon hearing a click of the master bedroom door. Slowly, Hannibal backs up and turns around to see Anastasia standing there.

"Ana?"

No words came from her as she calmly makes her way towards him. Her hand pulls the rope around her kimono silk robe and drops to the ground. The silk kimono slid off her body and falls to the ground in a wavy lump and she kept walking towards him in all lace undergarments.

The button up shirt drops to the ground beside him as he makes his way towards her, a great desire of passion spreads throughout his body. As her hands rests against his bare chest, her touches sent this pleasurable sensation throughout his body causing the hair on his body to rise. Tenderly touching her, resting his hands on her bare sides sent a brilliant wave of desire for her.

"Ana."

"I deserve to be happy, don't you think."

"Don't think. Know that you deserve happiness no matter what." Hannibal purrs to her before bending down and lying his lips against her own while his hands grasps the back of her thighs, lifting her up and carrying her to the king size bed.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

**Hi Readers!**

**Yes, I know, I am an asshole for stopping there! But I also want to say that I'm changing the rating to M after this chapter because the next chapter will have the explicit stuff. I'm not good with the whole explicit scenes, but I'll try my best!**

**But sorry for cutting off right there, but I promise the next chapter will have them together and also I'll get that chapter out as soon as possible to continue it! **

**Also, I don't own anything about the Frozen part. I saw the movie and I enjoy listening to two of the songs off that movie! **

**Please review! **

**Thank You! **


	14. Chapter 14

**Rankings changing to 'M' now! So, just a heads up!**

**Chapter: **The Desire Dam Has Broken Part Two

…**..**

…**.. Next Morning: …..**

…**..**

Warmth.

That was the feeling that was present in the amber hazel eyes that were staring at the peaceful face a few inches from their own. As if feeling the stare, soon sea foam green eyes were tiredly staring back at him before lightening up in realization of what happen the night before.

"Morning." His voice was rough upon waking up a few minutes ago.

"Morning." She whispers back moving closer to him.

Their limps were already tangle with one another and they only tighten up around each other.

Anastasia left leg curls around his hips and she sits up a bit too lean down and kisses him. It was pleasant and completely blissful to feel her affection.

"Something stirring, Hannibal." Anastasia playfully asks as she jerks her hips against his.

"You are a sin, you do know that right." Hannibal growls as he felt all his blood in his body quickly rush down south.

Staring into her eyes, Hannibal was now staring at a powerful woman. The first time meeting her, she was afraid of even being close to him or anyone for that matter. Now, pushing him onto his back and staring down at him with dominant eyes, he was staring at a passionate lioness.

Last night was slow and passionate, getting to know one another's body. Some sort of bond forming between the two. Now, this morning, it felt not only passionate but ferociously animalistic.

"Ana." Hannibal heavily exhales from his nose as she kept running her fingers in a taunting and caressing manner around his inner thighs.

"Hannibal." She mocks in reply, bending down and nipping his lips.

Evidently she thought that she was the alpha, thus, Hannibal flips them over and was hovering over her with darken eyes. Deeply kissing her, Anastasia was eagerly to kiss him back with equal hunger.

"I don't think so." Anastasia nips his bottom lip before hooking her legs around his thighs, push up and pushing him back onto his back. Hannibal stares up at her with surprise at her strength but chuckles afterwards.

Gradually, with a slight movement of her hips, Hannibal felt himself hissing as she takes him in.

"Anastasia." His hands flex on her hips before gripping them in a tight manner upon her jerking her hips to adjust to him once again.

Her long dark brunette hair was out of its bun and was flowing down her back, touching the top of her hips as she tosses her head back in ecstasy. Looking back down Hannibal, her eyes were shroud with desire and she makes a come hither to him to sit up.

With him sitting up, they become chest to chest now and with this new position, it cause both to let out a breathlessly gasps. His hands spread out onto her back and grip it, feeling how deep his strokes were now upon her dropping down onto him. It was an extraordinary feeling. His lips were anywhere he could reach, her lips, neck and down in between the valley of her round breasts. There was slight burning sensation on his back as her perfectly trim fingernails dug into it, but with the enormous amount of pleasure he was feeling, the pain was ignore.

Their lips were close to one another, their breaths fanning across the others lips and the moans and grunts were escaping from between their lips.

Smothering their lips together, with great strength, Hannibal moves forwards and Anastasia soon found herself on her back. Her head was at the foot of the bed now where she felt slight warmth from the fire from the gas fireplace that turn on automatically, early this morning.

Grabbing her hands, Hannibal places them above their heads and continues his assault of his lips on the area where her neck meets her shoulders. Their chest was tightly press to one another as the immeasurable passion was becoming intense.

The feeling was bubbling up within either of them and the snaps of his hips were becoming irregular and hurriedly. Merrily, the thrusts were becoming unmeasurably deeper and harder that neither one could think was manageable.

The burst of their climax was noxious.

It was cloud nine.

Meekly, his hips kept pounding into her to milk out either of their climaxes before he became motionless.

A light perspiration was evident across their skins and given their body a slight glow. Blissful grins were across their lips and their soft pants appear to be the only sound in the bedroom. As their chests were press together, they could feel each other's hearts rapidly fluttering in their chest like a humming birds speedy wings.

Resting her hand against the side of his face, Anastasia lifts her head up to peck Hannibal on the lips.

"Wow."

A chuckle escapes him and he bent his head down to give her a deep kiss before pulling back.

"I don't want to get out of bed."

"That makes two." Hannibal agrees with her, sitting up and biting the inside of his cheek when he pulls from her. He grabs the comforter that fell of the bed from last night's passionate escapade.

Wrapping his right arm around her waist, Hannibal pulls her into his lap and sits her in between his legs. He moves those forwards onto the bench that was in front of his bed and he wraps the comforter around them, keeping themselves warm by the blanket and by their body heat.

Anastasia leans back into his chest while he rests his chin upon her shoulder. The two stare at the fire flickering away in the fireplace. The two sat in silence, enjoying each other's body heat and the fireplace heat.

"Do we have to get up?"

"I would genuinely enjoy staying in bed with you for the day; however, I'm exceptionally busy today with appointments in the afternoon. And you have Mischa." Hannibal states, his arms giving her body a gentle squeeze before relaxing.

"I'm just being greedy."

"Well, I did say you are a sin."

"Oh, you're so kind. I thought that I would be envy or lust. Mostly envy because of my jealously for those with normal lives when I was with my ex."

"Envy, I could see now." Hannibal nods his head, agreeing as she explains her explanation.

"What do you think is yours?" Anastasia turns a bit on his lap to stare him in the face.

"Me? I would either say pride or wrath."

"Why is that?" Anastasia asks, resting her head against his right shoulder and her eyes looking up at him. He glances down at her in the corner of his eyes before looking forwards and staring at the flames licking the glass of the fireplace.

"I say pride because I admit that I find myself more important than those out there in society. And I say wrath because I take matters into my own hands and I'm always seeking vengeance." Hannibal explains, resting his chin on top of her head.

"I see. Well, how about something from the seven heavenly virtues?" Anastasia pulls from him and looks up at him with a smirk.

"There's nothing heavenly about me, Ana. Trust me on that one." Hannibal purrs into her, tucking his head into the side of her neck and giving it a gentle nip while his right hand slides down her stomach.

"Nope, definitely not." Anastasia gasps out, shutting her eyes and clenching her teeth to hold back the pleasurable sounds that want to escape from between her lips.

…**..**

…**.. Afternoon: …..**

…**..**

"Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore…" Anastasia was softly singing the song 'Let it go' from the movie Frozen as she walks into the kitchen to grab the ringing house phone off the receiver.

Picking the cordless phone up, she sees that the caller ID to see it was Will Graham, thus, she hits the answer button and places the phone to her right ear.

"Hello?"

"_Anastasia?"_ Will's voice came over the phone.

"Oh, hi Will. What's up?"

"_Well, Hannibal has been attack by his patient and Tobias in his office. He is a bit beaten up, but he'll live. He wanted me to call you because he is dealing with the paramedics again. So, I'm just calling you to inform you this so when he comes home you don't freak out about his beaten up self."_

Her breath felt like it was stuck in her throat upon hearing this information. Will called her name a few times and on the five times, she snaps out of it and clears her throat.

"Sorry, just lost myself a bit." Anastasia quickly tells him, running her left hand through her hair then dropping her hand to her side.

The doorbell ranged making her to unconsciously make her way towards the front door.

"_Tell me about it. I haven't felt like myself in the past months." _Will blurts out to her.

"With a job like yours, Will. I'm giving you credit." Anastasia tells him as she gets to the front door and unlocks it.

Just as her hand went to open it up to crack it opens, it slams open.

Anastasia backs up and her eyes went wide.

"Hello, honey."

Standing six feet two inches in all his glory was her ex, Zane Casts. She felt like her feet were glue to the floor. Until Zane took a step to her that is when she high tailed it up the stairs.

"_Anastasia? Anastasia, who is there?" _Will was loudly saying in the other side of the line.

"He's here Will! Zane! Oh god." Anastasia ferociously exclaims to him as she ran down the upstairs hallway and opens Mischa's bedroom.

"Mischa, hide in Hannibal's room now. Don't come out until you here my voice, Will's or Hannibal's." Anastasia picks up her daughter and pushes her to Hannibal bedroom before Anastasia turns to face the staircase where her ex was strolling up with a cruel smile.

"Honey, is that anyway to greet your lovely husband."

"Ex-husband you bastard!" Anastasia snaps before chuckling the phone at him. He swats it out of the air with an upset expression.

"You can't run from me, Anastasia." Zane snaps before charging her.

Anastasia ran down the staircase leading down to the kitchen and she went for the chef knives. Turning around, she faces her ex, who pulls out his own knife or rather a hunting knife.

He sticks it against his teeth and pretends to pick his teeth with it.

"Shall we?"

…**..**

…**.. Hannibal's Practice Building: …..**

…**..**

Running back into Hannibal's office, Will pushes the coroners aside causing Jack to shout his name with a glare, but it lightens up when he saw the horrify look upon Will's face.

"Hannibal!" Will shouts, causing Hannibal and the EMTs to look up.

"Will, what is wrong? You are acting like something—"

"Anastasia." Was all Will blurts out.

Will watches as Hannibal's beaten and bloody up face turn from innocent to this dark look. His eyes got this maroon red gleam in them and there was immense unfriendly emotions flashing through his eyes.

"What happen?"

"Zane is in your house."

The EMTs jump away from Hannibal as he stood up and limp his way towards the door with a look of determination. However, there was a roadblock named Jack Crawford, who was staring in between Will and Hannibal with narrow curious eyes.

"What is going on?"

"Come on, Jack, I'll explain in the car." Will said as Hannibal brushes by Jack and Will was quickly trailing after the serious and determines Hannibal.

In Jack's SUV, Will quickly explain to Jack about the Anastasia and Mischa situation. Jack was angry that Hannibal and Will has been hiding this information, especially since Anastasia and Mischa were missing people that got taken off the list a few weeks ago. Now, Jack was trailing behind Hannibal's Bentley to the house.

Arriving, Hannibal was out of his car before anyone could shut off their vehicle. The adrenaline pumping through Hannibal's veins block out all the pain receptors in his body. Seeing the front door open, Hannibal ran inside and stood in the foyer, taking a deep inhale of the air and listening closely.

It was complete silence but he smells a hint of blood.

When Will and Jack came into the home with guns drawn, Hannibal waves at them to go in certain directions. Hannibal went through the dining room then the kitchen and freezes.

The back door was open and blood specks were across the floor. He stood there and stares, smelling the faint scent of rainfall.

"Hannibal we didn't find anything." Will and Jack appear, staring at the rigid man.

"He has her." Hannibal growls, slamming his right hand on the counter top and feeling his heartbeat beating faster upon his anger. He was seeing red.

"Mischa." Hannibal whispers, turning away from staring at the door and moving towards the staircase.

Upstairs, Hannibal enters Mischa's room and seeing nothing, but he smells the hint of roses and rainfall mix together. He follows the smell and soon he finds himself standing before his master bedroom door.

Entering, Hannibal takes in the surroundings and sees nothing out of place.

"Mischa. Mischa, it's Hannibal."

Hearing a slight whimper, Hannibal moves towards the doorway that led to a bathroom on the left and his closet on the right. In between the two directions was a full suited samurai outfit.

"Mischa?" Hannibal peeks behind the samurai armor.

Silver blue eyes were staring back up at him with tears flowing down them.

"He has mommy, Anni."

All Hannibal could do was pull the little girl into his arms and hold her close, ignoring Will and jack entering the room and watching on.

"Don't worry, Mischa. I will get mommy back. He hasn't met me yet." Hannibal whispers into Mischa's hair as he keeps holding her close with maroon eyes full of revenge.

…**..**

…**.. **

…**..**

A smack to the face causes Anastasia to stir awake and groan a bit. She moves a bit, but found her hands bound behind her back and her ankles were bound up too.

"Wakey, wakey, honey."

Anastasia stare into her ex's face with a glare. He smirks at her and grabs her chin in his left hand, leans forwards and licks the dry blood off the side of her face. She tightly shut her eyes, trying not to cringe or show any emotion for his satisfaction.

"Did you think that you could get away from me, Anastasia?" Zane coos while patting the side of her face in a hard manner.

"Reserving your words to yourself? The way you fought in the kitchen, I have to say, did your new lover boy teach you those moves? You were so fierce and brave that I'm a bit proud of you, honey." Zane explains with a low chuckle.

"Fuck you and I'm not your honey."

Standing up straight with raise eyebrows and eyes fill with amusement, Zane began to laugh and points at her.

"Oh yes, you definitely change, my little Anastasia. Oh, you have change." Zane bends down to purr the last part into her ear making her to turn her head away and shut her eyes, not wanting to look him in the eyes.

She didn't want to see what would reflect in them.

…**..**

…**.. Hannibal's Home: …..**

…**..**

Lying in bed, it felt empty.

Hannibal stares at the spot where Anastasia was lying in this morning and could still smell strong hints of her scent. Hannibal shut his eyes, trying to figure out or think back to anything that Anastasia mention about her husband.

"Anni?"

Pushing himself up into a sitting position and turning on the lamp on his nightstand, he sees Mischa peeking at him through the slight crack of his door.

"Mischa, come here."

Mischa runs in with her stuff lion that her mother got her for her birthday, into the room and towards him. Hannibal picks her up and sets her on the other side of him, on the bed.

"What are you doing up, Mischa?"

"I couldn't sleep. I miss mommy."

Hannibal allows the five year old to curl up against him. He holds her against his side and stares down at her.

"Mischa, I'm going to get her back."

"Mean daddy probably took her to the cave."

It was like a light bulb went over his head.

"Cave, Mischa?"

"Yeah, we live near a pond. The old boat house, mean daddy never took it down. It had a basement in it that led out to the pond. He brought mommy there a few times and hurt her."

"Where is this, Mischa?" Hannibal got out of bed and move towards his dresser, opening it up and pulling out a turtle neck shirt.

"Near the pond. Its hidden behind trees and a lot of weeds because no one goes over there anymore."

Hannibal goes into his closet next, changing quickly into all black clothes and grabbing the plastic suit that he puts over his clothes when he does killings. However, he thought of something.

"Mischa, do you have your grandfather's number memorize?" Hannibal asks.

"Yes, why?"

A sly smirk came onto Hannibal's lips.

…**..**

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…**..**

…**..**

**Hi Everyone! **

**The rating is changing to M now! So just giving everyone a heads up!**

**And here is part two!**

**Also, once again I made a Frozen reference, so disclaimer of, I don't own anything about Frozen or the Hannibal Series. I only own my OCs! **

**And please review!**

**Thank You!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter:** Always

…**..**

…**..Two Hours Later: …..**

…**..**

There was no heat in the boarded up room that Anastasia was tie in. The blood trails on her face all dried up or rather frozen upon her face. She couldn't hear her heartbeat over her teeth chattering and her constants shivers of her body trying to keep itself warm.

As Anastasia lies on her side, she had come to realize after a while of being alone that she was in the old boathouse behind her old vacant home. Zane brought her back home or rather on the premise of their old home.

Speaking of her ex, he left after delivering a few kicks to her back and backhands across her face, to go get something warm to eat.

Whenever Anastasia move, she visibly winces as her body felt stiff from the cold. It was quickly affecting her body and the cold wasn't helping with healing the injuries either. Deep down she was hoping for her ex to feel unselfish and bring her something to warm her up, but she highly doubts that.

Uncomfortable with lying on the cement floor, she groans as she uses most of her energy to push herself into a sitting position. Her back hits the wood walls and she lets out a heavy sigh.

It was too cold and every time she let out a deep breath, it was like this huge fog cloud surrounds her. Her shivering only got violent that it was starting to hurt her body. It wasn't the injuries that would kill her, but rather the cold winter air.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

"This way."

Their boots crunch through the snow, destroying the smooth untouched surface that sparkles like diamonds underneath the full moon. More snow was starting to fall and the flakes were huge making Caius and Hannibal to know it would cover their tracks. Another blizzard was going to hit the area.

Caius was leading Hannibal through the woods that surround Anastasia's old home. They didn't want to cut right through the yard as they didn't want to attract any attention, such as Zane. Thus, cutting through the woods and going down the hill that led to the old boathouse.

"There it is."

"And look." Hannibal points.

They see someone pushing branches aside while holding a flashlight in their other hand.

"It's him."

"She must be freezing." Hannibal mumbles, thinking of how when he left the house this morning, Anastasia was in pants and one of his white button up shirts.

"Aggressively break in or find a hole that leads in?"

"It's an old boathouse. There has to be a board loose."

"Let's go then." Caius says and begins to lead Hannibal towards the old boathouse.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

"Do you want some?"

Of course she wants some of the warm soup that would help up the degrees in her body, but obviously she was keeping quiet.

"More for me." Zane shrugs his shoulders before tipping the container back to his lips and loudly slurping the soup.

Anastasia turns her head away from him, shivering still and tire. She was feeling herself becoming weaker and that was obviously not good. But she was unwillingly not going to pass out with her ex staring at her and not blinking.

Hands slam on either side of her head causing her to shut her eyes and her chattering teeth to stop their chattering for once and clench tightly. Impatience with her for not talking, Zane grabs her face in either of his hands and turns her head to face him.

Tilting his head to the side, Zane did this lovingly caress of his thumb across her cheek and lips before leaning forwards and brutally kissing her. It was indubitably horrible and Anastasia wants to escape him, but unable to do so.

"Why won't you talk to me, honey?"

"You're insane!" Anastasia couldn't help but scream at him.

That earns her a hard slap across the face before he grabs her face again and stares her down with a glint within his eyes. She wouldn't say that she was insensitive to his attacks; she was trying to be strong and not break down to what she was before she met Hannibal.

Upon thinking of Hannibal, she was wondering if he was out trying to find her with Will or just himself.

"Anastasia, I'm starting to get fed up with your temper."

A creak echo through the room causing Zane to look to his left and froze. Anastasia turns her head and she felt like she was staring at the most valuable object in the world.

"I'm already fed up with you." Caius strolls forwards, waving his left hand around to show a silencer gun. His eyes and face were pure rage and aggravation. The icy blue eyes were very pale and glow with vengeance.

"Ah, my wonderful father-in-l—"Zane stood up with his arms spread out, saying until he frowns and his arms drop on his side.

Stepping out of the darkest corner of the room was Hannibal with an emotionless look.

"Oh, look, honey it's your love—oof."

Anastasia kicks out both of her legs and slamming the soles of her feet into Zane's knees. He fell to the side, giving Hannibal enough time to charge, tackle Zane to the floor. Immediately, Hannibal wastes no time in punching Zane's face repeatedly.

Caius ran over to Anastasia and cuts her loose with a pocket knife he had hidden in his boot. Once the ropes were off her wrists and ankles, Caius picks Anastasia up and held her close, feeling her shivering uncontrollably.

"Hannibal, I got her."

"Just take her to the house. Stick with the plan." Hannibal growls as he stands up which allows Zane to stand up and wipes the blood from his nose and mouth. His eyes were staring down Hannibal with bitterness.

"Now, I understand why my precious wife fights the way she does. You taught her." Zane spits blood to the ground before getting into a stance.

"I'm not you wife, asshole." Anastasia manages to object before her father hurriedly carries her out to a small hallway with a staircase leading outside. Instead of going up the stairs, Caius went behind the staircase and exits out of a hole in the wall that leads straight outside into the frost, bitter winter air.

"That's how you got in." Anastasia mumbles.

Her father easily carries her bridal style and trudges through the snow at a slow jogging pace towards Anastasia's old home. Caius facial expression was a mix of relieve for having her back and weariness upon her frozen condition.

The backdoor to the home was open to which Caius knew that Zane has either been living within the home or been breaking into it. This home was actually a purchase that Caius made a few years ago as a gift to Anastasia for her wedding gift. Yes, it was over the top, but he did it for his precious and only child.

"I'm going to call the cops. But dad, I'm going to make a story up. I know that Hannibal wrathfully destroy Zane for all he has done."

"Let's wait for Hannibal." Caius proposes before pulling off his jacket and wrapping it around her. They sit together upon the kitchen floor against the cabinets. Caius holds Anastasia close, rapidly rubbing her arms and trying to bring some heat back to her body.

"Alright, let's wait."

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

Touching underneath his left eye, Hannibal flinches a tiny bit that it was unnoticeable unless whoever was watching closely. He had gotten punch by Zane in the same spot that he got punch by the late Tobias earlier today.

"You are already beaten up, doctor. Did something happen before you come for me?"

Hannibal ignores the rambling man and drops his hand from touching his face. Zane was charging forwards again, but Hannibal lunges forwards, somersaults underneath Zane's arm swing. Hannibal whirls around on his feet and swiftly legs sweeps Zane to the ground.

A groan escapes Zane before he begins to yell in pain when Hannibal slams his knee into Zane's lower back. He digs his knee hard into Zane's back before Hannibal claps his hands over Zane's ears.

A low suffering hiss escapes Zane as he was allow to stand or rather stagger into a standing position. He grips his ears that were annoyingly ringing. As Zane turns around to face Hannibal, he was karate chop to the throat then there were speedy punches into his stomach.

Hannibal watches the insubstantial man before him with an imperturbable look, but in his eyes was a mix between disgust and fury.

"As stated by Anastasia, you are her ex. Now, I'm taking care of her." Hannibal snarls, placing his foot onto Zane chest and shoving the man onto his back. Hannibal stares down at Zane, watching him gasping for air like a fish thrown onto shore and no chance of getting back to the water. Bending down, Hannibal didn't waste any time in ending Zane. Gripping either side of Zane's head, Hannibal gives it a quick jerk to the side.

There was a loud crack echo throughout the chill room.

Standing back to full height and fixing his winter coat, Hannibal stares at the broken neck Zane. He knew Zane was still breathing, but not for long.

Leaving the room, Hannibal appears into a side room that he took note of when he had come in earlier. Entering the small room, the surroundings were various tools, but underneath a workbench were kerosene jugs. Grabbing a few, Hannibal drags them back to the room where Zane was laid prone on the floor. Pouring the gallons of kerosene all around the room and Hannibal made sure to put a lot around Zane's body. Also, putting a few jugs around the body too.

Upon looking around his surroundings again and thinking back to that small tool room, Hannibal realizes that this was most likely Zane's murdering site.

Hannibal went back into the small tool room and found a blow torch. There was a gleam of enjoyment in his eyes.

Twisting the small knob on the back, the bluish white flame came out of the end. Hannibal steps near one of the kerosene puddles, drops the blow torch then hightails it out of the building.

As Hannibal gets outside and was trying to run as hard as he could up the snowy hill, the boat house has blown sky high behind him. Hannibal kept jogging up the snowy hill unaffected. He was only satisfied with his work. Also, of quickly getting rid of the final piece for Anastasia to gain her freedom.

Once Hannibal enter the house, his eyes venture off the kitchen breakfast island and down to look at Caius and Anastasia. They were sitting on the floor against the kitchen counters. He kneels down and stares into Anastasia's tire eyes with a slight doting look. He took in the frozen blood trails on her face and the blue lips from the freezing cold weather.

"We have to get you warm up now."

"Not yet. We have to make a story of what happen and I have one."

"Let's hear it, Ana." Caius whispers, still holding her shivering body close to his own.

"Well…"

…**..**

…**.. Half an hour later: …..**

…**..**

"…and then Hannibal found me in the kitchen, shivering and sat by me until the police that I call a minute before calling him, came." Anastasia was sitting in the back of the ambulance, wrap in a heavy wool blankets thanks to the EMTs, and explaining her kidnapping situation to none other than Jack with a fake depress look upon her face.

"So, you're telling me that your ex was going to take you both out because he didn't want anyone to have you. Thus, if he couldn't have you, no one could. But you manage to escape by kicking him into old kerosene jugs where he was holding a blow torch. The place blew up and went into flames, but you manage to barely escape. Then you get into the house that your ex was hiding out in, call the police then Hannibal. Hannibal shows up first and keeps you warm until police come." Jack recaps and Anastasia nods.

"I see. Hannibal explained the same thing about you calling. He then calls Will and then me about this too."

"I'm grateful for Hannibal. He has been helping me gain my strength back physically, mentally and emotionally." Anastasia tells Jack with a small grin before getting a slight shiver.

"You rest up, Ms. Cerise. Hot chocolate might do you good." Jack gives her a mild grin before exiting the ambulance and walking back into the blizzard.

A few seconds later and Hannibal compose personal came into the ambulance. He shakes the snow off of him before he sat himself down on the bench that was beside the ambulance bed that Anastasia was occupying.

"Do you need anything?"

"Get me out of here."

"I wish that I could, Ana, but they want to check you over and make sure that you didn't suffer from hypothermia or have anything out of place from getting beaten up." Hannibal explains to her, his right hand reaching out and laid on top of her left hand.

"He's gone, Hannibal. He's finally gone."

"How does that make you feel?" Hannibal leans forwards, staring her straight in her moistening eyes. Turning her head to face him, a tear slip out and she gives Hannibal a smile.

"Free."

…**..**

…**.. Hour Later: …..**

…**..**

When the front door open and Anastasia came strolling in before Hannibal, Mischa was instantly in Anastasia's arms. Earlier, Caius had sent one of his employee's teenage daughter homes—since she watched Mischa for Hannibal and Caius when they went out to get Anastasia. Caius soon appears and walks up to his daughter.

"I'm going to go home. But rest assures, I will be here tomorrow to check up on you." Caius kisses the top of Mischa head then Anastasia before he stood before Hannibal. The two shook hands, both nodding at one another before Caius walk towards the front door. He glances back at the three standing in the foyer before smirking and leaving.

Once Caius was gone, Hannibal led the two females upstairs to bed since it has been a very long day and it was late, especially for Mischa.

A few yawns have escape Mischa and her small fists were rubbing her eyes, trying to keep herself awake. Entering Mischa's bedroom, Anastasia places Mischa into the bed since the five year old was already in pajamas.

"Don't worry, Mischa, I will be here tomorrow and the day after that and so forth." Anastasia gently reassures, kissing Mischa on the forehead before comfortably tucking her in.

Leaving the bedroom, Anastasia was face to stand before Hannibal. She gives him a fond warmhearted smile. She steps to him and slowly wraps her arms around his neck. His powerful arms soon came around her lower back and he tugs her close in an unbreakable hold.

"Come Ana, let's go to bed. You need rest after today's fortunate event." Hannibal states before leading her straight to his bedroom.

In his bedroom, Hannibal quietly lends her a pair of sweats and another one of his button up shirts. Not afraid to show off her body to him anymore since he saw her in all her glory already, Anastasia strips before him. Before pulling on the shirt, Hannibal took a few steps towards her and beings to lay a few kisses on the bruises that appear onto her smooth light skin from Zane's assaults.

Sleepily and sluggishly, Anastasia slips underneath the heavy covers of Hannibal's bed. Soon, Hannibal joins her, sliding underneath the covers and he pulls Anastasia against his chest. His arms wrap around her in a protective manner.

Their limps tangle together. Anastasia curls a bit against his body and sighs out as her exhaust body was starting to shut down for a restful sleep. Their body heat was exchanging between one another, keeping each other warm with the additional of the bed blankets.

Hannibal face was stern and stoic from today's events, but his face soon soften when Anastasia tilts her head up and sweetly kiss the corner of his lips.

"Thank you for coming for me and making me free again."

Looking down into sea foam green eyes, Hannibal gave her a tender grin. He leans down, pecking her lips and only pulling slightly back to stare into her eyes again.

"Always, Ana. Always."

…**..**

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**Hi! **

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	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter:** Cupid's Arrow

…**..**

…**.. Few Weeks Later: …..**

…**..**

Hundreds of clear droplets race parallel to one another, gravity taking effect of making the water droplets to go down the smooth light tan skin.

It was quarrelsome to continue buttoning up his white button up shirt and not stop himself from storming over to Anastasia and licking the droplets off her skin.

After two weeks, Anastasia was back to normal and was even singing around the house, much to Hannibal's pleasure. He admits that she was very pleasant to listen too, especially when she actually lull him to sleep. That's when Hannibal knew her voice enchants him to her.

The water droplets were zealously sliding across her skin until they were swipe away unselfishly by a white fluffy bathroom towel. Anastasia, being completely unaware of the man jealousy of the water droplets from the shower, was standing across the bedroom getting dress for the day.

Getting dress in front of Hannibal, Anastasia wasn't demure about her body to him and he did not mind it at all. He admires her body before it was soon cover by black lacey panties and bra. A dark grey wrap sweater dress with a shawl collar was soon covering her body that fits snuggly and perfectly to her body. It was resourceful dress for the winter season.

Swiftly turning on the balls of her bare feet, Anastasia looks up from smoothing out her dress and she looks across the bedroom at Hannibal. A smile came upon her lips as she makes her way towards him. Hannibal was finishing up with tying his paisley tie and drops his hands to his sides when he was finish.

Anastasia reaches forwards, but pauses to look up at Hannibal. A nod of his head and she continue with reaching forwards and tucking his tie into his button up vest. Once finish with making sure nothing was unkempt with the tie in the vest, Anastasia takes a slight step back.

Standing close to Hannibal, Anastasia took in the slight scent of his enchanting aftershave that sent this joyous swirl through her body. His scent was endearing to her just as her scent is soothing to him.

Before moving from their positions of standing before each other, they share a kiss that was a bit hungrily for one another.

"That was passionate."

"I was a bit jealous."

"Of what, Hannibal?"

"The water droplets upon your skin had the pleasure of running down your body." Hannibal jokily admits.

A laugh escapes her from his comment before she reaches up and touches one of Hannibal's high cheek bones with a grin.

"Yes, those water droplets had the pleasure of running down my body, but you always have the pleasure of having me in fervent manner." Anastasia tells him with a wink.

"Indeed, I do." Hannibal left hand trails down her side and came to rest upon her hip, tugging her against him.

They stare one another in the eyes with lustful thirst. His grip upon her hip gave her a gentle squeeze while her hand cups the side of his face.

"We should get downstairs before we end up in bed."

"I agree with you. But, instead of the bed, I was thinking of in front of the fireplace." Hannibal states causing Anastasia to look at him with a raise eyebrow before she relaxes her face into a sultry look.

"Maybe we'll do that tonight." She promises him before pecking his smirking lips.

…**..**

…**.. Afternoon: …..**

…**..**

Twisting three stands of hair together, braiding them together with quick precision, Anastasia was braiding Mischa's long hair into a French braid. Mischa was sitting on the ground before her, flipping through a picture book on sculptures. The book was one of the many books from Hannibal's study room.

A lot of the words were in Italian, thus, Mischa couldn't understand it. Anastasia understood some of the language thanks to her father, but she wasn't fluent in the language.

As Anastasia band up the end of the braided hair, keys appear in front of her. Glancing over her shoulder, Caius was standing there with a grin.

"What's this?" Anastasia reaches up and takes the keys from him.

"Well, one of the keys is to my home. The black one is to Hannibal's home. And then this is your new vehicle or rather I'm giving you one of my cars."

"Dad, you didn't have to do that."

"You need your own freedom, Anastasia." Caius tells her, grinning as she stands up and hugs him.

Anastasia pulls away from him and she looks at the keys in her hair. Her eyes resting on the shiny remote square shape to the car, noting the logo on the bottom. The shiny shape was not a key since the vehicle has a start button ignition. It just needs the said keys in the car to start.

"Really, dad? The Vanquish."

"Hey, if Hannibal has his Bentley, you need a vehicle just as nice as his."

"So you gave me the Aston Martin Vanquish? Really?" Anastasia stands up and hurriedly rushes to the front door. Opening it up, she stuck her head out into the frigid air and she stares at the vehicle park in the driveway.

Even through the snowy air and salt roads, the charcoal grey with black rims Aston Martin Vanquish was shining and spotless.

The house phone rang causing Mischa to shout that she has it and ran off toward the kitchen while Anastasia beings to argue with her father that giving her this sort of car was too much to give to her.

…**..**

Pulling a stool over to the phone on the kitchen counter, Mischa climbs up the stool then reaches for the house phone. She eyes the caller ID and a wide smile comes onto her lips.

"Hello, Lecter's Residence." Mischa answers, sitting herself down on the stool and her legs were swinging back and forth as her feet couldn't touch the ground.

An amuse chuckle comes over the other side of the line.

"_Hello, Mischa. What are you doing answering the phone?" _Hannibal questions while leaning back in his tan leather office seat with the office phone up to his right ear.

"Mommy and grandpa are arguing over a car that he gave to her. So, I answer the phone for her."

"_I see. Do you mind telling your mother if she could go into the refrigerator, grab the containers with black tops and bring them to my practice building? I have forgotten my lunch."_

"Will do, Anni."

"_Good girl, Mischa. I have to go now."_

"See you soon, Anni."

"_Yes, see you soon, Mischa." _Hannibal chuckles before hanging up.

Mischa sets the house phone back on its dock before agile jumping down from the breakfast stool. She drags the stool back over to the breakfast island before bubbly skipping back towards the foyer where her grandfather and mother's argument was coming to an end.

"Mommy."

"Yes, Mischa?" Anastasia looks down into her daughter's astonishing silver blue eyes that appear to be changing into pale color just like Caius eyes.

"Anni, call and he were wondering if you could bring his lunch to him to work. It's the black top container in the fridge. He had forgotten it."

"Weird, he must be having an off day because he rarely forgets anything." Anastasia mumbles more to herself then those around her.

"Mischa, go put on your winter gear. Dad, do I need to drive you back to your home?" Anastasia turns away from her daughter to stare at her father with raise eyebrows.

"No, I had _your _Aston deliver. My car is park on the road, hidden by the neighbors trees, which they need to trim." Caius tells her, emphasizing whose Aston it was.

"Right."

Caius kisses her forehead before bending down and kissing the top of Mischa head. Mischa ran off afterwards as she was waiting for her grandfather to kiss her head before he left. Once Caius left, Anastasia went upstairs to put on black leggings underneath her grey sweater dress then she pulls on black leather high heel boots on.

"Mischa, are you ready?" Anastasia questions once she exits out of the master bedroom.

"Yes." Mischa comes skipping out of her bedroom with her black and white winter jacket, hat, gloves and boots upon her body.

Anastasia grabs Mischa's hand and together the two walk down the steps. Before exiting the house, Anastasia went to the kitchen and grabs the containers. Then once in the foyer, she opens the foyer closet and grabs her black winter pea coat and pulls it on.

"Here we go, Mischa." Anastasia says, locking up the house and walking towards the expensive and flashy Vanquish that she still couldn't believe her father gave her one of his prize vehicles.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

It took about fifteen minutes to drive over Hannibal's practice building. Upon pulling in, Anastasia took note of the Volvo station wagon that she knew was Will's car.

"Hmm, it's usually Hannibal's lunch break." Anastasia mumbles, eyeing the clock on the Aston dashboard.

Getting out with Mischa, Anastasia let the five year old carry the containers as they walk up the stone steps to the building. Entering the building, Anastasia looks ahead of her and put her hands instantly on Mischa shoulders.

"Mischa, stay behind me."

"It's Will mommy."

"Yes, but something is wrong." Anastasia tells her, moving ahead of her daughter while keeping her worrisome eyes on a distort and daze Will.

"Will?" Anastasia lowly calls, stepping closer to the criminal profiler.

Anastasia kept stepping closer to him, repeatedly calling his name but getting no response back. Stepping closer to Will and staring straight into Will's eyes behind glasses, she took in the blank stare. His eyes were slightly moving back and forth.

The door behind her open up causing her to turn and stare at Hannibal with a grim look.

"Ana, what's the matter?" Hannibal questions, instantly picking up her concern and grim expression.

"Will." She points out, turning around and stepping back as Will took in a deep breath then begins to frantically blink.

Hannibal wraps his right hand around Anastasia's forearm and gently pulls her back to stand behind him. Mischa came bounding over towards Hannibal and her mother, and stood beside Anastasia while holding the containers with Hannibal's lunch close to her chest.

"Will."

"Dr. Lecter?" Will confusedly say, glancing around his surroundings with furrow eyebrows.

"I wasn't expecting you today." Hannibal says, stepping aside and holding out his arm towards his office.

Will slowly walks by with a still confuse and distraught look. Once Will was in the office, Anastasia turns to Hannibal, the two standing in the waiting room.

"Something is seriously wrong with him, Hannibal."

"Yes, he appears dismay when he snaps out of his daydream state. I will further investigate the situation at hand." Hannibal reassures her, reaching out and brushing a few strands of her hair out of her face.

Dropping his hand from her face, Hannibal looks down at an exuberant Mischa, holding up the containers with his lunch. Kneeling forwards, Hannibal accepts the containers from Mischa and gives her a kind smile.

"Thank you, Mischa."

"Welcome." Mischa happily replies, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Standing straight again, Hannibal stares into Anastasia eyes with a look of affection.

"It's rare for you to forget things."

"I have a distraction now."

"Am I that much of a distraction?" Anastasia playfully asks, biting her bottom lip.

"More than you know. It's a good distraction though." Hannibal reaches out, putting his thumb on her chin and pulling her bottom lip from her teeth. Whenever she bites her bottom lip with an innocent look, Hannibal always gets this pleasant rouse.

"That's good to hear." Anastasia tells him, reaching up to peak his lips and pull away before he could even think about deepen it.

A low growl hums from his chest upon her playful manner. He knew that she was pushing it when it comes to rousing him up.

"I'm not being submissive to you." Anastasia whispers to him with a wink and steps away from him.

"Now, I have to go enroll Mischa into the school spring semester and most likely school shopping for her." Anastasia tells Hannibal her plan for today.

"I'll see you at home then." Hannibal promises.

"See you then." Anastasia grabs Mischa's hand before walking out of the practice building with a sway to her hips. Hannibal teeth clench, knowing that Anastasia loves to arouse him.

"Sin on heels." Hannibal mutters before going into his office room to deal with the unbalance gifted profiler.

…**..**

…**.. Late Evening: …..**

…**..**

Dinner was surprisingly quiet.

A bit too quiet for Anastasia liking, especially seeing the slight irritation and fury present in Hannibal eyes. His once warm amber hazel eyes were now darken and the maroon red has taken over and was very vibrant tonight.

Mischa excuses herself from the table and went off to get ready for bed. She took her plate and glass with her to put in the kitchen for either Hannibal or Anastasia to wash later on.

The two adults sat in silence before Anastasia sets her silverware down and takes a look over at her companion. He has his wine glass in his right hand, swirling the dark liquid content inside and spitefully staring at the liquid swirling around like a whirlpool inside.

"Would you have the satisfaction of telling me what is bothering you to relieve yourself or would you rather just torment yourself in you head?" Anastasia queries, staring away from her plate and into the stern maroon red eyes now.

"There are secrets that I have left unsaid to you, Ana."

"What? That you're a cannibal." Anastasia stood up from the dining room table, setting her silverware in her plate and picks up her plate in her left hand and glass in her right.

There was no querulous expression across her face as she states this, but there was appall across his upon her blunt and discovery comment.

Instantly, Hannibal was following after her with a determine look to figure out how she found out about his sinful actions.

In the kitchen, before Hannibal could take a verbal action to discuss her discovery, Mischa appears in the kitchen in her pajamas.

"Night, mommy and Anni!" Mischa comes running over giving Anastasia a hug then Hannibal before running back upstairs to go to bed.

"I know that you want to talk about this, so I'm going to say this now. What else are you hiding, Hannibal?" Anastasia turns away from filling up the kitchen sink and stares him down with a slight exasperatingly look.

"How did you find out?" Hannibal questions instead of answering.

"Not only did I notice certain 'meats' in the freezer in the way back." Anastasia waves a table knife at him.

"Ana, set down the knife and its rude to point."

Anastasia made an 'oh' face and set the knife down, not realizing that she was waving a dangerous silverware. Her face became strict again yet there was slight hurt in them that Hannibal didn't wish to see.

"And my father figure it out."

"Of course, Caius did." Hannibal says, running his right hand down the lower part of his face, feeling the whiskers growing from not shaving.

"I'm thankful that you don't feed anything like that to Mischa."

"I am finding it a bit odd about your comfort level upon finding this secret out."

"I'm more hurt with you hiding secrets than anything else at this moment." Anastasia admits, crossing her arms over her chest, signaling to Hannibal that she was isolating herself from him.

"Ana, this isn't how I want you to find out."

"Then how else was I going to find out, Hannibal. What other remarkable secrets do you have?" Anastasia waves her right hand about, snapping at him.

Licking his bottom lip and moving a bit on his feet, Hannibal subdues his alpha side deep within him from snapping back. He was very good with patience and he couldn't find himself going shallow to snap at a woman, who he deeply cares for, that was hurt by his secrets.

"How about we clean this up and I'll tell you more?" Hannibal calmly insists.

Searching his eyes, Anastasia can see a hint of sorrow in them.

"Alright."

As the two begin cleaning off the plates, silverware, and the cooking ware from cooking the meal tonight, Hannibal told Anastasia about his childhood, the beginning of his cannibalism, his late little sister—that Anastasia was shock about upon finding out her name and comparable looks to her own daughter—and then he told her about why he was upset today. He told her about Abigail; about her killing a boy that she thought was attacking her, and Hannibal helping her to bury the body. However, Abigail dug up the body and the FBI has the body in custody.

"She neglected your wishes."

"Yes, she has." His tone was of revulsion and so was his expression. It was all towards Abigail for going against his instructions of keeping quiet about the body.

"Does that put you in any danger?"

"No. I'm clean when it comes to this, Ana." Hannibal reassures her.

"That frightens me a bit at how smooth you are." Anastasia tells him, realizing just how dangerous Hannibal truly was. Also, realizing that Hannibal has been performing this actions since he was a teenager. He has years to perfect his ways.

"I wish for it not to, Ana. I got a question for you now."

"What's that?" Anastasia quietly asks as she puts the last of dishes away into the kitchen cabinets.

"Why are you not repulsive by my ways?"

Her eyes stare straight into his before shutting her eyes and bowing her head, heavily exhaling out of her mouth. It was reasonable to report Hannibal, to leave him behind, but the stupid emotion that makes people do stupid things has struck her.

"I guess you can say that I was struck by Cupid's arrow."

The comment was raw emotions that Hannibal felt like he was staring at the most priceless jewel in the world. The words were pure and heartfelt that it actually weaves into Hannibal hard and emotionless personal.

"Ana." Hannibal steps to her, wrapping his arms around her and keeping her close to him.

Her ear rest against his chest and she shuts her eyes, listening to Hannibal strong heartbeat pounding against his ribcage and making music for her ears.

"I'm going to honestly admit that I haven't experience this emotion since I was a young boy, but upon hearing you express such precious words that I will cherish, I'm going to make you a promise." Hannibal proclaims, nuzzling his nose into her air and breathing in her pleasing scent.

"It is going to be a ultimatum for me to return those words back for a while. But know that it will happen as soon as possible to return I love you back." Hannibal promises, lifting his head off hers so that she could look up at him.

"I understand." Anastasia replies, feeling relief for getting everything off her chest and also, being lucky to learn about Hannibal past and secrets.

"Now, since everything is clean up. I do recall a certain promise that was made earlier today about a fireplace." Hannibal brings up, wickedly grinning at her.

Shoving him back, Hannibal staggers back with raise eyebrows and a disbelief smile.

"I don't recall." Anastasia taps her chin with her right index finger while slowly back stepping away from him and heading in the direction of the staircase.

"You got three seconds." Hannibal holds up three fingers with a roguish smirk.

"Only three?"

"Two."

Knowing that she was wasting time with talking, Anastasia quickly high tails it up the staircase. Though, Hannibal was storming right up after her with a jubilation expression.

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…**..**

**Hi Everyone,**

**Thanks for the continuous reviews! I'm appreciating every one of them!**

**Thanks for reading and please continue to review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter: **Her Day

…**..**

…**.. A Week Later: …..**

…**..**

Acting sneaky, Mischa tip toes down the wood hallways and soon comes to a door that was halfway open. Poking her head around the doorframe, she eyes Hannibal sitting behind his study room desk on his iPad.

"Mischa, what are you doing?" Hannibal asks, not looking up from reading a Tattlecrime blog. He knew Mischa was near as a draft of air came wafting into the room and brought along her rose scent.

"I have a question." Mischa slowly came into his office, skipping up to his desk but hopping up onto one of the two seats before the desk.

Hannibal exits out of the blog and shuts off his iPad. He sets it aside, adjusting it to be straight and not slant on his desk. Clasping his hands together afterwards, Hannibal looks up at the anxious five years old.

"What's the question, Mischa?"

"Mommy's birthday is Friday and I didn't get her anything."

His eyebrows rose upon hearing this new information. He sort of wants to smack himself in the back of the head for not finding out Anastasia's birthday. Now, he knew that her birthday was on Christmas Eve.

"How about I pick you up tomorrow from school and we'll go shopping for her birthday and Christmas gift?"

"Really?" Mischa exclaims then clasps her hands over her mouth and she sends Hannibal and apologetic look. He chuckles and leans back in his seat.

"Yes. I'll tell your mother that I'm picking you up and we are going to be spending time together. Sound good?" Hannibal proposes.

Mischa was enthusiastic and she frantically nods her head in agreement.

"Good. Now, shouldn't you be in bed?" Hannibal accuses with a grin.

Quickly, Mischa gave him a slight panic look before jumping down from the seat. She ran around his study desk, giving him a quick hug before sprinting out of his study room as quick as her little legs could carry her.

Hannibal was chuckling in amusement at Mischa's innocence's and bubbly self. Standing up from his desk, Hannibal pushes in the chair, shuts off the lamplight on the desk and makes his way out of the study room.

It was around ten at night, Anastasia was already in the bedroom. When Hannibal enters, his eyes instantly went to the bed where Anastasia was lying underneath the covers and reading a book.

Whatever she was reading, she was deeply engross by it. He decides that this was the best time to be a bit playful yet cruel.

…**..**

Even though the reading was easy, Anastasia was flying through the first series of the _Hunger Games_ book. After dropping Mischa off school today, Anastasia went shopping for herself and towards the end of her shopping spree, she found herself in a bookstore. Seeing how popular the book was, Anastasia decided to take it upon herself to buy the whole pack of the _Hunger Games_ Series books and read them.

She was very capture by the scene of the cornucopia bloodbath that she didn't see the black mass crawling to the front of the bed.

Turning the page, he took action.

Hannibal slams his hands on the end of the bed and said her name.

Anastasia screams and curls up; hugging the book to her but realizes who it was. Hannibal was laughing, but grunt as the book that Anastasia was reading bounce off his chest.

An enrage Anastasia stood up on the bed and charge Hannibal, jumping towards him, but he caught her. His arms wrap around her and her legs unconsciously wrap around his waist to keep her from falling.

"You are such a jerk!" Anastasia gives his chest a few slaps until he tosses her onto the bed.

Bouncing on the bed with a piss off expression but then she yelps as Hannibal was on top of her. His hands press on either side of her head and his body snuggly fit between her legs.

"You were so engrossed with that book that you didn't even take notice of my presence. Tsk, tsk, Ana, we have to work on your senses." Hannibal playfully scowls her, laying a kiss upon the center of her forehead.

"You are a bit energetic, Hannibal."

"I suppose." He pushes off her and begins to take off his suit while making his way towards the bathroom.

Anastasia pushes herself up onto her elbows, watching Hannibal strip while making his journey to the bathroom. Before he disappears around the corner, he glances over his shoulder at her with a sly grin.

"Have you taken a shower already?" Hannibal questions before disappearing behind the corner.

"I could go for a second one." Anastasia quickly tells him, getting up and quickly going after him.

…**..**

…**.. Hour Later: …..**

…**..**

Basking in elation, Hannibal eyes were shut and he listens to the strong heartbeat quickly pounding and trying to come down to a normal state. His heartbeat was pounding heavily too, especially after a thrilling and zeal with Anastasia in the shower, but also, taking it to the bed.

"I'm going to pick Mischa from school tomorrow and we're going to hang out for a bit." Hannibal lowly tells Anastasia.

Her left hand that was consistent running through his hair in a gentle manner came to a halt. Hannibal turns his head so that his chin was resting upon her chest, staring up at her with warm blissful amber hazel eyes.

"Oh? What are you two doing?"

"Spending time with one another and I remember her mentioning about something for your father."

"Yes, I need to do Christmas shopping."

"That too. We need to do that also." Hannibal adds on, turning his head to rest his ear back over her heart.

"Well, you two be careful. I heard that there was going to be another snowfall." Anastasia tells him, shutting her eyes as she was feeling her body becoming into a tire and lazy state.

A low groan was her reply and she felt the bed dip a bit on her left side. Turning onto her left side, Anastasia cracks open her eyes to stare into Hannibal's half-lidded eyes.

"Sleepy?"

He simply nods before shutting his eyes but not without pulling her into his arms for the night.

…**..**

…**..Next Day; Evening: …..**

…**..**

The child was simply could be gregarious yet humble, honest yet respectful. Hannibal was holding Mischa hand as they were walking around an outdoor outlet, trying to figure out what to get Anastasia for her birthday. But also, to kill two birds with one stone, they were Christmas shopping too.

Hannibal thought Mischa were these personalities because one minute she could be the social butterfly, the next she would become shy when a new face would come near them. She could be blunt and honest about things, not thinking about whether it's harmful or not. The next, she could be respectful and heartfelt. To Hannibal, the five year old was amusing and cute.

"Do you know if your mother wishes for some sort of object?"

"Mommy never asks for anything. Grandpa says that she too gracious and feels bad when she asks for anything." Mischa tells Hannibal.

"Of course she is." Hannibal mumbles to himself while looking around at the different stores.

Mischa was staring around their surroundings too, taking in each of the stores with her tongue slightly sticking out in concentration of what her mother might like. Her silver blue eyes came to rest upon a store that caught her eyes with its brightness.

"Anni, mommy used to have a locket necklace with me in it on one side."

Hannibal looks down at Mischa with raise eyebrows.

"What happen to it?"

"Daddy threw it out into the pond behind our old home."

Hannibal looks forwards and begins leading Mischa towards the jewelry store. His tongue ran over his front row teeth with an unhappy look flash across his face before it returns to blank. He couldn't believe how unacceptable and rude Anastasia's ex was.

Upon entering the jewelry store, Mischa ran off to a case where she saw a sign with 'mother' items while Hannibal casually walks near the case beside Mischa, to stare at lockets.

"How can I help you, sir?" A middle age woman appears behind the case that Hannibal was eyeing.

"I was just looking at the lockets. A locket that is not small yet not too big."

"I see." The jeweler hum before eyeing the case and trying to figure out a few lockets that would be best fit for Hannibal's simple description.

"Anni, there is a mother and daughter bracelet over here?" Mischa came running over, grabbing his left hand and staring up at him with wide silver blue eyes.

"Want to get your mother the locket or the mother and daughter bracelet?"

"The mother-daughter one!" Mischa excitedly tells him causing Hannibal to chuckle and the jeweler behind the case to smile too.

"Well, let me get the locket for your mother and you can get the bracelet. Deal?"

"Deal." Mischa nods her head with a wide smile.

"Good. Now." Hannibal turns back to face the jeweler.

After going through five lockets, Hannibal finally found one that was a pretty penny, but to get Anastasia to smile, he would buy her a lot of things. To see her smile was priceless.

Then Mischa pick out a bracelet that was sterling silver, few small diamonds on a small heart. But the two hearts were infinity hearts that were entwine with one another and keeping the chain together.

"You have a cute daughter." Another jeweler that was wrapping up the items said.

Hannibal glances down at Mischa, who was humming underneath her breath and staring around the store while holding his right hand. Glancing away from her, Hannibal gives the jeweler a small grin lacing across his lips as they hand him the gift bag.

"Thank you. She takes after her mother in everything."

"Oh, your wife must be beautiful."

"That she is." Hannibal instantly replies, no doubt that Anastasia was a very attractive woman and he was sure that she was going to be his companion for a very long time.

"Let's get Mischa." Hannibal gently tells her, walking with her out of the store and back outside onto the sidewalk of the outdoors outlets.

"Anni."

"Yes, Mischa?"

"Do you have any children or did?"

Hannibal slows his walking pace a bit and stares down at Mischa with raise eyebrows. He was wondering where this question came from, but then again, the five year old most likely heard the jeweler make that comment about her. For her age, Hannibal has to admit that Mischa was going to be an intrepid person. She was going to be brave and have a strong personality.

"No, I do not have any children or did have any. Why the sudden question, Mischa?"

"I don't know." Mischa shrugs her shoulders with an innocent expression.

Hannibal kept a imperturbable look as he stares down at Mischa before looking up, eyeing people speed walking around and by them, hurrying to the next store to do whatever last minute Christmas shopping.

Looking forwards, the thought of children was echoing through his mind. That sort of thought has only crossed his mind once and that was when he was in his early twenties, figuring out how to go about life. For a while, having his own children, an heir, was an inconsequential thought. Now, with the question being asks by a five year old that he is overprotective of; Hannibal was actually second guessing about how to approach this.

"I never thought of having children of my own. I guess you could say that I never saw myself as a father."

"Well, you are doing a good job. You take care of me. And with mommy, you make her happy." Mischa tells him, swinging his hand a bit as she gives his hand a small squeeze.

Upon hearing this comment, internally Hannibal felt a bit of pride and honor about hearing how he has taken care of the two Cerise females in a perfect way. But now, with Mischa mentioning this whole topic, an idealistic illusion has appeared in Hannibal's mind about children and how his personal would change.

…**..**

…**.. Few Days Later: …..**

…**.. **

Stretching out in bed like a cat, Anastasia groans then throws the thin blankets off her body. The warm air was instantly licking her bare skin, now that she didn't have anything covering her.

The other side of the bed was empty. She sat up to see Hannibal sitting in one of the two chairs near the fireplace in the bedroom. In his lap was a sketch pad, his right hand holding a charcoal pencil and his right was a small eraser.

Sliding out of bed, bending down to grab the silky kimono robe off the ground from being rip off her last night, Anastasia slides it on before walking over to Hannibal.

The heat emitting from the fireplace flames was heavenly, especially with the cold winter air outside. As she got closer to his side, Hannibal looks up at her but then lets his eyes look her up and down with an impish smirk.

"Happy Birthday, Ana."

"Mischa told you." Anastasia grins.

Hannibal sets aside the sketch pad and the drawing utensils before grabbing her hand and pulling her onto his lap.

His lips were warm against the side of her neck. He laid a few more humble kisses before pulling back and staring into her eyes with this burning jovial look. Anastasia lean in to give him a kiss then pulls back to stare into his eyes.

"Thank you." Anastasia whispers in reply before turning in his lap to see what he was drawing in his sketch pad.

A surprise yet amaze look came across her face.

"Hannibal this is amazing."

The sketch was of her sleeping and wrap up in the thin bed sheets. Her chest, though, was cover by one of her arms while the rest of the blankets were tangle down in her lower region. The shades of the sketch define the curves of her body. The sketch itself appears to have this gentle yet seductive vibe.

"As I sketch you, it was as if I had an angel sleeping in my bed."

Her mouth ghosts the shell of his ear.

"Definitely a hidden poet you are, Hannibal." Anastasia whispers before getting up from his lap and making her way to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Glancing over his shoulder and listening closely to hear her moving around in the bathroom, Hannibal got out of the leather chair. He silently walks towards the bedroom door and impressively opens the door without making any sort of sound.

Slipping down the hallway, Hannibal makes his way to Mischa's room and gently knocks on the slightly ajar door. Peeking in, Hannibal sees Mischa lying on her stomach with a coloring book before her and her right hand quickly going back and forth with a color pencil in hand, coloring in the animals on the page.

"Mischa."

The hand with the color pencil pause and silver eyes were now looking at him with a curious look.

"Your mother's up. Grab the presents from your closet and let's bring it downstairs."

"Okay!" Mischa exclaims, pushing herself up and running to her closet to find the two presents that she hidden.

While she did that, Hannibal makes his way downstairs and to the kitchen where he would make Anastasia's favorite breakfast.

…**..**

She has this feeling that Hannibal and Mischa were up to something that was relevant for her birthday. When she came out of the bathroom and took note that Hannibal wasn't presence in the bedroom, she knew he was up to something. Then hearing soft steps running down the hallway and downstairs, she knew it was Mischa.

Therefore, Anastasia went back into the bathroom and decide to take a shower to give the two sneaks some time to prepare whatever they were planning to do.

After taking her time showering and getting dress, Anastasia walks downstairs and making sure that she was made as much possible sounds to give Mischa and Hannibal a heads up.

Entering the kitchen, it was completely empty.

"Hmp, where are they?" Anastasia mumbles to herself, slowly walking in the direction of the dining room.

As Anastasia got closer, there was faint sounds of moving then a gentle shush and an amuse giggle.

Upon entering the dining room, Anastasia took in the presence individuals in the room.

There was Hannibal, Mischa, her father and surprisingly Will, who looks like he has, just came in because his cheeks were a bit rosy from the winter air.

"Morning birthday party?" Anastasia jokily asks as she steps further into the dining room.

"Happy Birthday Mommy!" Mischa threw her hands up saying and came running over, running straight into Anastasia's legs. Anastasia staggers a bit but smiles down at her delightful daughter.

"Thank you, sweetie." Anastasia brushes Mischa hair from her face before leading her daughter to the dining room table with her.

Hannibal pulls out a chair for Anastasia to which she gives him a smile. When her eyes came to rest on her favorite breakfast, she looks at Hannibal once again with a euphoric look.

The rest sat down and together they enjoy breakfast. Hannibal was thankful that he made extra since Will decide to show up out of nowhere once again. There was starting to be an exemplar happening almost every other day of Will making his appearance. Hannibal was starting to expect the trouble profiler now.

Taking his mind off Will, Hannibal glances at Anastasia to see that Mischa and she were frivolously whispering to each other while glancing at Caius with a smirk. The older man stuck his tongue at the two causing the two females to laugh.

"So, after this elaborate breakfast, is my cake made out of pancakes?" Anastasia questions as everyone finish up with their breakfast.

"You'll just have to be patience." Hannibal tells her before disappearing from the dining room.

When Hannibal was away for a few moments, Anastasia glances at Will and sees that he looks a bit frail. He didn't look full of life but instead, he looks like he is slowly breaking down into nothing.

"Will, are you good?"

"Huh? Oh yes, um, I'm good. Sorry about bursting into your birthday and not getting you anything."

Anastasia waves him off with a small grin.

"Don't worry about it. It's good to have you presence. That is enough." Anastasia assures him before turning her attention to the hallway where Hannibal appears with a plate with what look like cinnamon rolls with white frosting and a few birthday candles in some of them.

She laughs and clasps her hands together at the creativity of a birthday breakfast. Hannibal felt his affection for her exalt, especially upon hearing her joyful laughter.

There was a smile on Anastasia lips the whole time as they did the traditional happy birthday song. She let out a few more chuckles before she blew out the candles.

Soon presents were set in front of her.

"Jeesh, I feel like I should be wearing a crown. I feel like a queen today." Anastasia jokily tells him as she pulls the first gift bag into her lap from her father.

Pulling the tissue paper out, Anastasia pulls out a stainless steel album. Her eyes went up to her father, who was sitting back in his seat with a heartfelt grin. Looking back down, her hands ran over it before she unclips the side and opens it up.

There were photos of her as a child with him and as she kept flipping through, it was of her getting older and soon Mischa starts to take up photos. There were a lot of blank pages after that.

"A new life." Caius tells her once she looks up from the album and at him with a grateful smile.

"Thanks dad."

After setting that album down, Anastasia went onto opening the gift from Mischa since the energetic little girl was shoving the gift underneath Anastasia nose.

Upon opening the box, Anastasia gasp at what was inside.

"Oh, this is beautiful, Mischa." Anastasia pulls her daughter into her lap and kisses the giggling girl's head. Anastasia unclasps the bracelet and Mischa clasp it back together around Anastasia left wrist.

"Perfect fit. Thank you, my little princess." Anastasia whispers into her daughter's ear before kissing her head again.

"Anni's present next!" Mischa pulls the box across the table and hands it to Anastasias with a giddy look.

Anastasia glances at Hannibal, who was standing next to her chair and staring down at her with a warmhearted grin.

Pulling the silver ribbon off the black box, Anastasia pulls the top off then pushes aside the cotton material that was covering whatever was underneath it. Her eyes widen at the grandiose object nestle within the box.

"Hannibal, this is beautiful. I used to have one, but…" Anastasia shakes her head as she didn't want to finish the sentence. She didn't want to remember her ex anymore as he was gone from their lives now.

It wasn't big nor was it small. The sterling silver oval locket was perfect size. Opening it up, she smiles as she takes note of a photo of Mischa on the left side. The right side was blank for whatever she desire to put in it.

Taking the necklace from her, Hannibal took the pleasure of putting it around her neck. He eyes the locket and sees that it lands on top of where her cleavage begins.

Anastasia stares up into Hannibal's eyes and takes note that any other man was incomparable of Hannibal. He was impeccable yet dangerous. He is gracious to Mischa and her, but could be hard with everyone else. To everyone else, he is what stalks within their shadows, watching their every move and waiting for the right time to shatter them into millions of pieces like glass shattering against the floor.

To Anastasia, she felt that Hannibal was starting to, slowly but surely, show improvement of showing pure emotions.

…**..**

After the breakfast birthday party, Anastasia finds out that Hannibal works today, but also, they have guest tonight.

"Who would that be?"

"Well, it appears that Freddie Lounds wishes to write about Abigail's life. Thus, Will is coming over to see through with Abigail's option on this matter."

"Does he know about Abigail and the body?" Anastasia questions as she sits at one of the two leather seats in front of the fireplace that was in Hannibal's bedroom.

"He found out yesterday night when he put himself in the shoes of the decease Boyle boy's body."

Anastasia eyes slightly widen at this and she keeps watching Hannibal put silver square cufflinks on before buttoning up the single button on his suit overcoat.

"Was it intentionally?" Anastasia asks, crossing her right leg over her left.

"Most definitely." Hannibal replies, coming over to her and resting his hands on either side of her on the arms of the chair she was in.

"I'm going to warn you that Ms. Lounds is an infatuating woman. She twists people's words and puts it into her work. She isn't the most honorable woman, but she is very blunt." Hannibal proclaims.

"Does that mean that I can't be wicked, Hannibal?" Anastasia leans forwards, asking, and the tip of their nose brushing against each other.

"I rather you be yourself then be uncomfortable with Ms. Lounds, Ana." Hannibal tells her, reaching up with his right hand to brush the locket that was reflecting the fireplace flames.

"So, be jovial?"

A chuckle slips past his lips and he stares into her eyes that were glowing with humor.

"Being jovial to Ms. Lounds would probably throw her off guard. However, don't take her words personally."

Anastasia lifts her hands up to gently rest on either side of Hannibal's cheeks.

"Trust me, Hannibal; no witch of a woman is going to ruin my birthday on Christmas Eve, for that matter." Anastasia tells him with a grin and a mischievous glint in her eyes.

…

…

…

…

…

**Hi Everyone,**

**It has been a few days, hasn't it? Anyways here is chapter seventeen.**

**Also, I made a reference to the Hunger Games, which is a good movie. Sooo, (Disclaimer: I don't own anything about that series).**

**Also, to one of my reviewers, I have heard of the fifty shades book from my friends, it's just that I never read it.**

**Thanks for the reviews and please keep on reviewing! **

**Thanks!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter:** Deadly Verbal Strike

…**..**

…**.. Few Hours Later: …..**

…**..**

Before a body mirror, Anastasia was having an extrovert movement with her almost mid-back length hair. She was debating to leave it down or put it up to make her look exotic yet formal.

In a few minutes or so, the egotistic eminent, Ms. Freddie Lounds would be showing up. And already, she was being a pain in the ass when she calls at the last minute to inform Hannibal that she was a vegetarian.

Upon that last minute call, Hannibal kept an unaffected look before Will and Abigail, who were presence in the kitchen watching him preparing the dinner plates. But inside, Anastasia knew that Hannibal had wanted to throw the dish he made for Freddie Lounds at the annoying woman's face.

He wasn't annoyed that she was a vegetarian. It was the fact that she decides to call at the very last minute to inform this information to Hannibal, who already made her plate.

That was a few moments ago and now Anastasia has a pout on her face.

"You should leave it down or put it into a high ponytail." Hannibal appears in the mirror, standing before her with a mild grin.

"I think that I will do this." Anastasia just lets her hair slip from her hands and watches as her long hair flows down her back in soft waves.

Tonight, she was wearing a black dress that clung to her body; it has this draping wrap style in the front with cap sleeves and a daring neckline.

As Anastasia turn to find the essential heels to go with the dress, Hannibal lift up his right hand to show black heels dangling from his fingertips.

"These look right for the dress." Hannibal proclaims.

"Thank you." Anastasia accept the heels from him and she makes her way over to the bench at the end of the king size bed. She sits upon the cushion bench and begins to pull on the heels.

Hannibal walks towards the door, but pauses and turns to look at her. He decides to wait for her so they could go down together. Together, they look like a enchant couple that everyone stares at with mix emotions, mostly of positive thoughts.

The house doorbell echo throughout the house causing Anastasia to flinch and she looks over at Hannibal with a slight frown.

"I hope that didn't wake Mischa up." Anastasia tells him as Mischa was put down into bed for the night.

"Hopefully not. It must be Ms. Lounds." Hannibal states, glancing at Anastasia as she stands up from the bench and smooth's down her dress.

"Good?"

"You look beautiful as always." Hannibal answers, holding out his right arm as Anastasia elegantly walks towards him with an additional sway to her hips thanks to the high heels that she was wearing.

Once Anastasia slips her left arm through his, they begin to make their way downstairs. They could hear a new voice speaking to what sound like an annoy Will, who must've let Ms. Lounds in.

"Are you ready to face her? She will bring up your ex and anything to make you fidget in your seat."

"Well, I'm going to apologize to you now, but I'm probably going to be rude and not hold anything back. I'm not that weak woman anymore, Hannibal." Anastasia warns him.

Hannibal glances at her as they begin to make their way down the stairs that leads into the kitchen. As he took in her warning comment, Hannibal couldn't help but grin a bit as Anastasia stated that she wasn't weak anymore. She was different now and Hannibal felt a bit of pride because he helps her become a strong woman, personality wise.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

It was awkward and tense throughout the dining room with Ms. Freddie Lounds presence.

The red hair woman was sitting beside Abigail while Will and Anastasia sat across from them. Hannibal, like always, was at the head of the table.

The room was no doubt not pleasing to be in with Will sharply glaring at Freddie with complete disgust while Freddie kept a fake smile on her lips and was trying to be proper at the dining table.

They say never judge a book by its cover, but upon meeting Ms. Freddie Lounds, hearing her speak and how cocky she was, Anastasia found this woman an obnoxious, outspoken, ostentatious bitch.

It was quiet for the most part, only Abigail uncomfortably moving in her seat appears to be the only thing making sound.

That is until Hannibal return into the dining room with Freddie's plate that was a gourmet salad, his dress shoes heels clicking across the dining room wood floors.

"I feel terrible, Ms. Lounds. Never entered my head you might be a vegetarian. A lapse on my behalf." Hannibal calmly says, placing Freddie's plate down in front of her.

"Research always delivers benefits." Freddie glances at Hannibal saying while she was already digging into her salad.

Everyone else was waiting for Hannibal to sit down before they were to eat their own meals that were already set before them.

As Hannibal sat himself down, it was like someone hit the play button and the rest of them were picking up their utensils to begin eating.

Anastasia glances through her lashes at Freddie, sitting across from her, with stoic eyes. She really dislikes Freddie and upon hearing her speak, Anastasia wants to take her glass of water and chuck it at the woman's face. Not just the water, but the glass and all.

As if mindreading her thoughts, Hannibal places his right hand underneath the table and onto her thigh. Anastasia glances at him while reaching for her glass of water. He gave her a warm grin making her to slight grin back before rising her glass of water to her lips to take a few sips.

"If it contradicts a good story, hell, publish it anyway." Will jeer.

Glancing at Will, Anastasia knew that Will despises Freddie, thanks to Hannibal explaining about the runs in that Will had with her. It was like Freddie was a trigger for Will's dark and angry side that appear to be humble tonight. His actions were making Anastasia to think that she didn't have to be sassy tonight.

"Are you still angry I called you insane? The libel laws are clear, Mr. Graham." Freddie counters, giving Will a smirk as she seems to greatly enjoy getting Will going.

Hannibal turns his head to stare at Freddie with a tranquil look, but mentally, he was scowling her for her indiscreet comments towards Will.

"Insinuation is such a gray area." Will states, taking his aggression of cutting into the slices of steak loin.

When Hannibal glances down at his plate to cut into his meal, he did glance up to stare at Will, but met Anastasia's eyes. Anastasia was biting her bottom lip and she was slightly shaking her head at Hannibal, showing that she wasn't liking how this whole dinner and conversation about Abigail was going.

"Insane isn't really black or white, is it? We're all pathological in our own ways."

"You choose the version of the truth that suits you best and pursue it pathologically." Will states, lifting the fork with a piece of steak up to his mouth and eating it once he finishes his sentence.

Dinner was becoming non-joyous and it was becoming of carefree remarks being jag at each other or rather, in this case, Freddie versus Will.

"Everybody decides their own versions of the truth. I'm here because I want to tell Abigail's version of the truth." Freddie proclaims, glancing at Abigail, who appear to be visibly shaken by the tension in the room. The teenager looks completely nervous and unsure of herself.

"See that you do." Will sharply reply.

"I don't have anything to hide." Abigail demurely says, glancing at Freddie then across the table at Will.

Anastasia glances at the two, catching their looks and seeing how Abigail eyes widen and Will's eyes were showing accuse. Anastasia looks away, rising her glass of water up to her mouth and taking a long gulp, feeling this whole thing was becoming too much.

The stir of anger and frustration was pooling in Anastasia. Her heartbeat slightly rise and her patience was beginning to disappear, especially with Freddie once again talking with a lot of food in her mouth.

"Everyone has something to hide, but I won't tell anything you don't want me to." Freddie informs, completely missing the eye contact between Abigail and Will.

"You must understand our concerns. We care about Abigail. Our only thought is to protect her." Hannibal spoke out of nowhere which causes Anastasia to jump a bit from being startle and pull out of her thoughts of the annoying red headed journalist sitting across from her.

"She's already exposed. Her silence until now has been taken as guilt. This book is about her innocence. I want Abigail to have a future." Freddie avows, setting her hands down on either side of her plate.

"That's what we all want." Will replies, lifting his wine glass up to his lips.

"We all want what's best for Abigail." Hannibal states and stares at everyone to show that he wants to end this Abigail discussion now.

They sat in silence, glancing at Abigail and then looking anywhere but each other. The silence would've been immaculate and relax, but it appears that Freddie doesn't know the word of shutting your mouth.

"This is possibly the finest salad I've ever eaten in my life. Shame to ruin it with all that meat." Freddie says, lifting her fork up to her lips and eating the cube cucumber off it.

"It's good and it puts protei—" Will was going to say another snarky comment at Freddie, but that was enough to make Anastasia to burst and be finish with the comments to one another.

"Alright, enough." Anastasia snaps, staring down Will, who went wide eyes upon her blurting out.

The motherly side was coming out and it was impure with a bit of frustration and annoyance from the woman sitting across from her.

"Wow, someone shut Will Graham up. You better be careful, you don't want anything ill-fated to happen to you again, Anastasia." Freddie sat back in her seat saying, knowing the story of Anastasia and her ex.

Hannibal slowly lower his hands down that held the utensils. He wasn't surprise that Freddie would bluntly bring up Anastasia past somehow.

"Ms. Lounds, no one ask for your ill-informed comments about Mr. Graham. I can handle myself just fine." Anastasia reasures, reaching out with her right hand to fix her glass of water and set it above her plate.

"You sure? Since it appears that the doctor here appears to take you in and patch your impure self up rather quick. Makes me wonder how you repay him?" Freddie lifts her wine glass to her lips and gives Anastasia a fake bright smile.

This was the moment that a random cricket would be making music with its legs as the silence in the room was deafening.

Will's mouth was slightly agape only a little, Abigail eyes were slightly wide and looks like she was trying to plan her escape out of the dining room upon seeing Hannibal's face darken. Her eyes went over to Anastasia, seeing the older woman slowly lick her bottom lip and her sea foam green eyes became icy.

"Calling me damage and a whore, Ms. Lounds?" Anastasia queries, her thin fine dark eyebrows rising.

"Oh, did I imply it like that, shame on me. It's just that the doctor appears as a secure man and a woman like you appearing in his life, idealistically something had to happen." Freddie dryly states with a shitting eating grin as she thinking that she hit the pot of gold to make Anastasia breakdown.

That was not the case.

Anastasia wasn't going to let Freddie have the last words.

Not in her book.

"Yes, shame on you, Ms. Lounds because I'm far from either of those two, especially a whore. You see…" Anastasia lean a bit forwards and held up her right hand, sticking only two fingers up.

"These two fingers are how many men I slept with in my life. I can count that. But I must ask _Ms. Lounds_, if you were to count how many you slept with in your life, could you count them on one hand or do you need two." Anastasia fires right back causing Abigail to go wide eyes and looks down at her plate, finding the edge designs interesting.

Hannibal, for once in his life was render speechless. He has never seen Anastasia this verbally fire up before. Will mouth drop more but he felt a bit of satisfaction upon seeing Freddie's face paling and her satisfying smile was gone. Anastasia was shutting the journalist done and not holding back, something that many are afraid to do towards the red headed woman.

"Or do you need another extra hand just in case? Because I sure as hell know that you would jump in bed with anyone with golden information. And don't even try to deny the fact either. I read your work and I must say, you got a lot of golden information that no others would bother to gather or even have in their works because it is so hard to gather. So, you don't tell me that I'm sleeping with the good doctor here for my own reasons because I'm not a woman that opens her legs to gain benefits for myself." Anastasia snaps, her heart were beating hard against her rib cage and quickly pumping blood throughout her angry body with a mix of adrenaline.

Everyone was in complete shock, but for Freddie, her face was pale as she realizes that she has mess with the wrong person.

"And I'm sure as hell not a selfish cocktease either, Ms. Lounds! Who wants dessert? I sure do!" Anastasia abruptly stands up and storms out of the dining room, needing to get away before she gets physical.

Will spit his wine into his cloth napkin, pressing the cloth to his mouth to not show his wicked smile. He was a bit happy that someone stood up to Freddie Lounds and gave her, her own medicine. It was obvious that Freddie slept with someone in the FBI a while back to gain information about the whereabouts of a crime scene that Will was working on. It almost messed up the case, but thankfully it didn't.

Across the table, Abigail bows her head and bit her lip, not wanting to meet anyone's eyes. But they look up when Hannibal stood up and begins to clean up the plates, but not without staring down Freddie with a professional posture. It amazes how well Hannibal could be reserve and not shows any emotions. Though, he did narrow his eyes a bit upon staring down the paling journalist.

"That was doubtfully a very rude and irresponsible manner, Ms. Lounds. I do apologize on behalf of Anastasia, but I do not apologize for her intent manner towards you. You have play with a gripping fire that you cannot escape, Ms. Lounds and you have just found yourself burn." Hannibal picks up the plates, placing the utensils on top of the stack plates.

"But—" Freddie stops speaking as Hannibal shot her an icy look that instantly sent the hairs on her body to raise.

"You have no right to irritate a past wound of Ms. Cerise."

"Cerise? Wait, is her father…"

"Caius Cerise? Yes, that would be him. And that brings me to my last thing to you before I get the dessert. If you are to write any impractical story on Anastasia, she is actually a very powerful woman that many do not realize. She, or rather, her father, isn't a polite individual when something happens to him or his family. If you know what's good and don't want your journalist career going down the drain, don't write anything about Anastasia or her family." Hannibal informs her before turning on his heel and walking towards the hallway that would lead to his kitchen.

"See where arrogance gets you." Will casually say, leaning back in his seat and drinking his wine. Pulling the wine glass from his lips and staring into the wine, finding the dryness of the wine, pleasurable.

It never tastes so great until now.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

The stainless steel handle of the end of the knife felt warm underneath her hand. The evil twin in her, the dark conscious mind was gleeful for her comeback words to Freddie, but now, it was begging for freedom but in a physical way.

A large and warm hand land on top of hers before she could even think about pulling the knife from the knife rack. She wasn't going to do it, but upon seeing her, it looks like she was going to.

Familiar aftershave surrounds around her and a warm pair of lips was against her neck in an affectionate way that she knew it was Hannibal.

"Sorry about that." Anastasia whispers, shutting her eyes as she waits to hear Hannibal scowl her like a child for her blunt words.

"You shouldn't be. You spoke out of defending yourself. Your words were very…honest I must say. I don't think it would be wise to go into the dining room with a knife in front of Will and Abigail, though." Hannibal mouth was near her ear as he calmly tells her this.

Anastasia right hand reaches behind her and gently places it on the back of Hannibal's head. Her eyes were still shut, feeling Hannibal lying a few hungry passionate kisses onto her neck.

"We should prepare the dessert…I don't know if I should go back in there. I think that I'll retire for the night. I don't want to cause another vicious scene." Anastasia pulls away from Hannibal and turns around to face him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm going to retire for the night. Tell them that I apologize and wish them a good night. I'll help you with preparing the dessert before I retire, though." Anastasia decides, staring into Hannibal eyes.

"Alright. If you believe that it is the right thing to do." Hannibal insists, stepping to her to give her a smothering kiss before pulling away and begins to make his way to the refrigerator to start making the dessert dishes.

He can't help but admit that Anastasia was definitely showing that she wasn't a woman to threaten as she will attack right back with the striking blow.

She sure as hell proves how passionate in rage she can be.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

**Hi Everyone,**

**I hope everyone is enjoying the story thus far and now this chapter. **

**Please keep reading and ****please keep reviewing****! I will be overly happy with positive ****reviews****!**

**Thanks!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter: ** She's Sin on Heels

…**..**

…**.. Few Days Later: …..**

…**..**

Just as it was busy before the Christmas holiday, it was always busy after the holiday. With alarming sales appearing in stores and then the New Years was to happen. The parties all around with adventurous and exciting people.

This New Year, Hannibal was hosting a party and he has been on the run for the past few days. New Year's day, he had everyone in the kitchen doing something and even hires a few caterers to help out, but also, to have them walk around the party to serve the guest.

Nothing was cheap by all means and everything had to be perfectly coordinated. Some of the small finger foods appear complex yet crafty. In the kitchen everything appears to be critical. Only the soft sound of Bach playing kept everything compose, relax and not fall apart in panic.

"Mommy."

"Yes, Mischa?" Anastasia glances across the kitchen where Mischa was holding her stuff animal lion to her.

"Will is here and we were talking about his dogs."

Anastasia eyebrows rose and her eyes glance to the man of the house beside her, helping her decorate the food for tonight. Her eyes went back to the innocent daughter of hers.

Caius was standing to the side, helping bring trays out but upon hearing his granddaughter question this, he pause in what he was doing. He has a funny feeling that Mischa was going to do something that would bring entertainment and euphoric to him. Thus, he has to witness what was going to happen firsthand.

"Mischa, what are you thinking?"

"Why not a dog? Or a cat? Maybe a goldfish." Mischa quickly starts to name off various animals.

"Whoa, whoa, Mischa, you know that is up to Hannibal." Anastasia points out and her eyes, once again were looking at the man beside her. He pauses in what he was doing to see that Mischa was staring at him with radiant silver blue eyes.

"I am curious of the sudden ambition to want an animal, Mischa?" Hannibal asks, resting his hands on either side of the tray he was working on.

All eyes were upon the five year old.

"Well, I want someone with me since I have no younger siblings and I was going to ask if I can have a little brother." Mischa admits, hugging her stuff animal lion to her even more and giving them a bright smile.

Sudden coughing cause a surprise Hannibal to look at Anastasia, seeing her turn away with her face bury into her right forearm coughing.

"Are you alright, dear?" An amuse Caius ask, chuckles escaping him.

Anastasia kept coughing, waving her hands around with tears coming into her eyes and trying to nod her head.

"Spit…went down…wrong tube." Anastasia pause every time she coughs.

Hannibal got her water and hands it to her making her to nod a thanks and she begins to gulp down the water, not believing what she has heard.

"Mischa that is a lot to ask for." Hannibal answers, glancing over at Anastasia to see her still coughing and then she clears her throat. She reaches up to her eyes and begins to wipe the tears away.

"Thought I try." Mischa concede, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh, the joy of having a cute and honest granddaughter…how about you help grandpa with setting trays up, Mischa and let's leave everyone to work in here." Caius proposes to Mischa, who nods with a brilliant smile and she follows her grandfather out of the kitchen.

"She is going to be a gregarious woman when she grows up."

"Sociable and hold nothing back." Anastasia adds in, coughing and clearing her throat once again.

The two continue to work with the trays, Anastasia was still a bit fluster with Mischa indiscreet yet innocent comment. Hannibal expression was reserve, but Anastasia knew that the five year old must've thrown him off his focus too.

"Hannibal, I apologize."

His head tilts to the side and his eyebrows slowly rose at her out of the blue apology. He knows why she was apologizing, but Hannibal always wants the individual to explain their comments.

"Ana, if this is about the comment that Mischa said…" He pauses upon seeing her fingers tapping against the side of the tray that she finish stocking up with some sort of bacon wrap around either scallops or pineapple.

"She would always ask that question to me years ago. I'm thrown off because she suddenly asks this question once again. It makes me realize something." Anastasia picks up the tray and her serene eyes look into Hannibal curious ones.

"What is that, Ana?" Hannibal slowly ask, his eyes flickering down to her stomach then up to stare back into her eyes. He was starting to wonder if she was hiding something from him.

"Mischa is starting to see you as her new father figure." Anastasia admits, giving him a gentle grin before leaving the kitchen with the tray in her hands.

For some odd rare reason, the attention-grabbing comment by Anastasia has caused some sort of jovial swirl to spread throughout Hannibal body. It appears that he was doing something right to earn Mischa trust and to sees him as worthy.

A proud grin appear on his lips as he continues preparing for the New Year's party and damn well making sure that everything would be magnificent.

…**..**

…**.. Hours Later: …..**

…**..**

Before guest came, it was hilarious to see Caius bring in the flat screen TV earlier in the house and set it up with Hannibal glaring at him and making Caius to promise to get the TV out of the house afterwards. Hannibal didn't own any TVs. Hannibal found that a TV wasn't necessary as he keeps himself entertains with music, art and cooking.

Thus, Caius went out and brought a TV for tonight's New Year's countdown. The TV was set up on top of the fireplace mantle where it was elevated for everyone to view.

Everyone that was present at the party was the usual crowd that would always show up to Hannibal gatherings. It was the crowd that always hung around Hannibal at any musical or art events. Then there were other people that Hannibal knew and they came once they found out about his party.

"I have to ask you, Lecter, where did you get a woman like that."

Standing with a group of men with either beer or wine in their hands—who were people Hannibal met over time—Hannibal stares at Mr. Leo Chance, an ex-colleague at the hospital Hannibal used to work at as a surgeon. He looks away from Leo Chance to glance over his shoulder at Anastasia.

Anastasia was conversing with a group of woman that she knew from musical or art gatherings that Hannibal takes her to. It appear that Mrs. Komeda was complimenting Anastasia about the party as the older woman was waving her hands around at everything and at the plate that was in one of her hands, fill with food.

As if feeling his stare, Anastasia glances over her shoulder and smiles at Hannibal across the room, sending him a wink.

"We happen to find one another." Hannibal turns back around, lifting his wine glass to his smirking lips.

"Lucky man you are."

"Got that right."

"Gorgeous is what she is and you are very damn lucky to have her."

Hannibal took in the comments that the men were saying, noting a few have a hint of jealously in their tones. Smugness was emerging in him upon having a woman that many want, but obviously and never will have.

"Hannibal you are hosting a wonderful party."

Turning to his right, there was his past student and now colleague, Dr. Alana Bloom. She works for the FBI as a psychiatrist and a teacher at the academy. In addition, she was Will's love interest.

He has to admit that Alana was an attractive woman, but ever since Anastasia appear, Hannibal was comparing Anastasia to every woman.

And no one matches up to Anastasia and her ways.

There was never anything romantic that has ever happen between Hannibal and Alana, even though Alana was one of the many female students that would ogle over Hannibal when he used to be a visiting professor at their colleges/universities.

"Thank you, Dr. Bloom. I am glad that you are enjoying your evening." Hannibal replies with a slight grin.

"Oh man, here she comes."

"Lecter, you are too lucky."

"She's sin on heels." Leo Chance chuckles, lifting his glass of beer up to his lips.

Hannibal felt a hand ghost across his lower back then rest there. His eyes look down to his left to see sea foam green eyes shining up at him. Her eyes soon venture off his to stare at Dr. Alana Bloom.

This is when Hannibal realizes that Anastasia was marking her territory, stating he was off limits. Knowing that this was happening, Hannibal wraps his left arm around Anastasia waist and held her close to his side to assure her that she was just as much as his as he was just as much as hers. Though, seeing Anastasia become territorial over him was making him a bit turn on.

He couldn't help but scan over Anastasia taking in her bold and erotic cocktail dress that she had decided to wear for tonight.

It was a black sleeveless cocktail dress. The skirt stop mid-thigh and clung to her body like a second skin, showing off her luscious curves. But the top was what makes the dress sexy and dangerous. The top was a black V-neck lace top and thankfully there was this nude built in bra piece underneath so Anastasia didn't flash off her breasts. Shiny copper heels were upon her feet and she has her locket hanging from her smooth neck.

Her hair was down and she slightly gave her hair a bit more of a wavy style. Her lips were coated with this light pink lipstick and her eyes were lightly decorated with black eyeliner and her eyelashes with a little mascara.

And with her standing beside him with him dress in a black suit, copper color dress shirt underneath, and silky black ascot around his neck, Anastasia and him truly look like the majestic couple of the party.

"Ana, this is an old student of mine and now a colleague. You might've remembered Will mentioning about her. This is Dr. Alana Bloom. Dr. Bloom please meets my lovely companion, Anastasia Cerise." Hannibal particularly purr Anastasia's name.

"Yes, I remember hearing her name. Please to meet you. I do hope you are enjoying your time here." Anastasia stuck out her right hand with an assertive grin that appears to make Dr. Bloom moves unsteadily in her high heels.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Cerise and yes, the party is excellent. But I think that everyone knows not to expect anything less when Hannibal throws one." Alana glances at Hannibal with a grin before looking at an Anastasia, losing her grin upon seeing Anastasia giving her a wicked smirk.

"Yes, Hannibal does throw a fabulous party." Anastasia try to keep the judgmental side of her hidden, but she didn't like how this woman appears to praise Hannibal or use his first name so openly.

The group of men, including Hannibal, stares in between the two women in their presence. One of them, Alana, was moving uncomfortably on her feet as the other woman, Anastasia was giving Alana the death stare.

Looking away from the female that was somehow Will's love interest, Anastasia stares into Hannibal's eyes.

"I'm going to check up on Mischa to see if she is still sleeping."

"Be quick. The countdown is going to start in five minutes." Hannibal looks up at the TV that he couldn't wait to take down afterwards.

"Will do." Anastasia says, glancing at Dr. Bloom in the corner of her eyes before Anastasia pulls away from Hannibal. But not without sliding her hand down his butt.

She walks away with a sway to her hips, glancing over her shoulder to eye Hannibal with a zealous look.

The silky black ascot around his neck felt a bit tight and felt like it was making him a bit hotter than usual. Lifting his wine glass to his lips, he tilts his head back to swallow the rest of the wine before setting it aside on a tray that a caterer was walking by holding.

"Excuse me." Hannibal announces before turning and quickly heading into the direction that Anastasia walk to.

"One lucky man is all I got to say." Leo Chance chuckles and the other men agree with smirks of their own, knowing where Hannibal was going.

Feeling a bit uneasy after meeting Anastasia and seeing the way Hannibal reacts towards Anastasia, Dr. Bloom quickly gets away from the group of men and went to find Jack or Will to converse with.

…**..**

…**.. Upstairs: …..**

…**..**

Gently shutting Mischa's bedroom door, Anastasia lets go of the rustic golden knob and turns around to head back downstairs. However, she was pull from the door and her back met the wall beside the door.

She didn't have time to react as a hand went up her leg and up her thigh, pushing her dress up. The hand grips the back of her thigh, close to her butt and lifts her left leg up to wrap around the hand owner's waist.

Familiar lips were soon smothering hers in a hard and passionate manner. Her hands stroking the broad chest before resting on his shoulders to keep her balance. However, he pushes his body into hers more causing her dress to ride up higher and begin to show off the lacy underwear she was wearing.

Pulling lips away, Anastasia stares into Hannibal's darken animalistic eyes. There were flecks of maroon appearing in them making her to know his predator side was out.

Leaning forwards, Anastasia nips Hannibal's bottom lip causing him to lowly growl at her. Bowing his head to her neck, he wasn't holding back as he was placing fiery kisses and nips along her neck, marking her. It was as if he turns into a vampire as he took a bite at the section of where her neck and shoulder meet.

"Seeing your reaction towards Dr. Bloom was pleasing to see. For once, seeing you become territorial like a lioness shows that I'm not the only territorial companion." Hannibal purrs into her ear before pulling back and then nudging the tip of his nose with her nose.

"I didn't like how _friendly _she said your name or how she stares at you." Anastasia growls at him, her right hand reaching up to cup the side of his face.

The hair on his body raise with eagerness and pleasure upon hearing and seeing how his lover was becoming a vicious woman. She was definitely protecting what was hers. And Hannibal saw firsthand before of what happens to someone when messing with what was hers. His thoughts flashing back to her ex's protégé breaking into the home and how Anastasia kill the man to end his way from harming her family.

She definitely was an evolve woman with greater power and control within her hands.

Obligating his head down, Hannibal felt Anastasia brush her lips across his own. Both of them staring each other in the eyes with burning passion and both debating whether or not to continue this passion in the bedroom, forget the party happening downstairs.

Counting down was happening downstairs causing Anastasia to grin at him.

"Let's go see the countdown and welcome the New Year." Anastasia tells him, fixing her dress as he pulls himself away.

"Don't think that we are done for tonight, Ana." Hannibal points out as they loop arms and begin to make their way downstairs, hearing everyone counting down from the number ten now.

"I can't wait." Anastasia confesses as they came to the bottom of the stairs and enter the living room where the countdown just hit one.

"Happy New Year!" Was shouted across the room.

Couples kissing their love ones at the New Year and those that didn't have a companion tonight took a long drink of whatever was in their hands.

Strong arms wrap around her waist and she tilts her head up to welcome Hannibal's lips. Her hands trailing up to his well-kept slick back hair and threading through it.

"Oops, I appear to slightly mess up the style." Anastasia points out once Hannibal and her separate.

"It's going to be mess up in a few anyways." Hannibal assures her with a charming smirk.

A laugh escapes her and she reaches towards his lips with her right thumb, gently brushing away the light pink lipstick shining on his lips.

"Shall we make our journey further into the living room and interact with our soon to be unruly guest?" Anastasia suggests.

He only nods and together they walk further into the living room to continue the celebration. Yet, Anastasia couldn't help but notice Hannibal eyeing her feet then her legs.

"Why are you staring at my feet and legs?"

"I'm staring at your high heels."

"Why?" Anastasia eyes him curiously, wondering what was going through that brilliant mind of his.

Looking up at her with the maroon red still presence within his eyes, a mischievous smirk appears to which adds fuel to Anastasia curiosity fire.

"I'm debating whether or not I want those heels on you for our zealous escapade later on tonight." Hannibal ponders with a suggestive raise eyebrow.

It always ceases to amaze her at how well Hannibal could be when he can be a stern and unemotional individual towards anyone. When it comes to Anastasia or Mischa, he shows his rare polite side.

Upon hearing this pleasurable comment from him that no one would ever believe her if she was to repeat it, Anastasia couldn't help but laugh. Holding her against his side, Hannibal smirks and his eyes gleam with animalistic tendency to have her in fervent manner for hours on end.

…**..**

…**..**

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…**..**

**Hi Everyone,**

**I felt like writing a chapter out of the whole TV series. Also, to add onto the story and to show sides of the characters before going back into the whole TV storyline mixing in.**

**Also, I felt like having a fun chapter to write about.**

**Thanks for reading! **


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter: **Heartbeats Are Soothing Bells

…**..**

…**..****A Week Later: …..**

…**..**

If the excitement in Anastasia got any bigger, Hannibal swears that she was going to start glowing.

It was early in the morning when Anastasia had jump right out of bed at seven. Hannibal could only remember mumbling through the pillow on why she was up so early before burrowing himself into the blankets some more.

The only answer he got was that it was going to be Mischa first day of kindergarten for the start of the spring time. Now, twenty minutes later, Hannibal was standing in the kitchen watching Anastasia act like a bustling mother hen, going back and forth on packing Mischa lunch.

"Ana, you're going to pack the whole kitchen within her lunchbox." Hannibal points out, smirking as Anastasia stops packing Mischa lunch and she looks at him with an innocent look.

"It's just that this is her first time going to school as Zane wouldn't let me put her in pre-school when she just turn four. Now that she is done with pre-school, she is starting kindergarten, Hannibal. This is a big thing." Anastasia tells Hannibal, looking down at the princess lunch box and making sure everything was perfectly organize.

Knowing that the ex was a touchy subject, Hannibal walks over to Anastasia and wraps his right arm around her waist from behind and he pushes his chest up against her back, and his chin resting on her left shoulder.

"I understand." Hannibal turns his head to bury his face into the side of her neck and taking in her scent.

"Do you mind going to wake up Mischa?" Anastasia lowly asks, feeling Hannibal pulling away from her.

"No, I don't mind." Hannibal hand rubs her hip before he walks away and up the stairs.

Anastasia stares at his back, grinning as she felt Hannibal was a perfect man for Mischa and her even though he has his dark flaws.

…**..**

Stopping in front of Mischa bedroom door, Hannibal takes note that the door was slightly cracked open. Knocking softly, he heard a 'come in' to which he does. Upon opening the door, Hannibal chuckles at the sight that welcomes him.

Mischa was standing in the middle of her room, dress for the day and her backpack on.

"Are you excited for your first day?"

"Yes!" Mischa exclaims, running up to Hannibal and staring up at him with a smile.

"Are mommy and you going to drop me off at school today?"

"You want me to go?"

Mischa nods at him, the smile never leaving her face.

"Alright, I'll go. Now, let's go downstairs to eat breakfast and pack up your lunch." Hannibal steps out of the doorway to allow the overly excited five year old run past him and towards the stairs.

Only an amuse chuckle escapes him as he was entertain by how energetic and happy Mischa was for her first day of school.

When Hannibal enter the kitchen, Mischa was shoving her lunch box into her backpack before turning back to Anastasia, who was handing Mischa a plate with crepes.

The five year old ran off to the living room or rather skips to the living room.

"It's like she had a bag of sugar before I went to get her."

Anastasia gently laughs while walking by Hannibal and brushing her hand across his back before she too walk to the dining room with her plate. As she walks by, Hannibal shut his eyes and took in her scent.

He smelt the familiar rainfall scent, but there was something else mixing in with her scent. It was a soft smell like lilac or lavender. Whatever it was, it was unknown to his scent chart and he didn't like not knowing.

Opening his eyes, Hannibal eyes narrow, wondering what the smell was and hope it wasn't anything bad.

…**..**

…**.. Hour Later: …..**

…**..**

There was parents dropping their kids off at the elementary/middle school and waving them off. The parents that were dropping their little ones off for the first time at school were easy to notice as they were the ones checking over their little ones fifty times and taking pictures.

Mischa was staring at everyone, clenching her backpack straps in either of her tiny hands before whirling around to look up at Anastasia and Hannibal.

"There is so many people, mommy."

"Yes, there are." Anastasia kneels down, smiling.

Out front, homeroom teachers were calling out their classroom students to come to them. Mischa looks over towards her homeroom teacher before looking back at Anastasia and Hannibal with twinkles of excitement in her eyes.

"Go, little one." Anastasia kisses Mischa forehead before standing up and watching Mischa hug Hannibal's legs before running off towards her homeroom teacher.

Anastasia place her right hand over her mouth and wraps her left arm around her stomach, watching her daughter smiling and instantly interacting with her fellow classmates. Mischa truly was and going to be a sociable individual.

Moving closer to Anastasia's side, Hannibal wraps his left arm around her waist and held her close.

"Are you alright?"

Watching the little ones go into the school, Anastasia nods her head and looks up at Hannibal with a soft smile.

"I'm just happy because she is happy."

Giving her side a gentle squeeze, Hannibal turns them away from the school and leads her to the Bentley park up against the sidewalk.

…**..**

…**.. Few Hours Later: …..**

…**..**

The jingle of keys makes Hannibal to look up and see Anastasia pulling on a jacket over her tank top.

"Where are you going?" Hannibal asks, staring at Anastasia standing in the doorway of the living room. Hannibal sets the book that he was reading aside to stare at his lover.

"Well, Mrs. Komeda with a few others has signed me up for yoga classes."

"Yoga?" Hannibal eyebrows rose before looking Anastasia over and seeing that she was in yoga pants, tank top and sneakers.

"Yes. It's relaxing, maybe get abs and it'll help me be flexible."

"Oh really?" Hannibal got a sly smirk gracing his lips causing Anastasia to shake her head at him, trying to mask the smile but couldn't help but let it show.

"So, I'm off to do some yoga." Anastasia walks up to him, bending down to peck his lips then she walks off while pulling her hair into a ponytail.

With Anastasia gone, Hannibal was drumming his fingers on the arms of the chair before shutting his eyes and sighing out. He has to figure out what to do now since he was off from work today. He knew in a few more hours he would have to go and pick up Mischa from school. But for the time being, Hannibal needs to find something to do.

…**..**

He tries cleaning the house, doing any laundry that was available, but those chores quickly boring to him. It wasn't bringing him any satisfaction of making time go quicker. Therefore, he finds himself in the kitchen that was like his sanction to do whatever he wants.

Hannibal finds himself prepping tonight's dinner.

There was an hour and a half left to pick up Mischa when the front door opens. Hannibal looks up from wrapping up the bowls to put into the fridge and he watches Anastasia enter the kitchen.

"How was yoga?"

"Great. It's a real workout and then we went to lunch. I'm sorry about not telling you about that or staying out late." Anastasia tells him, setting down the yoga mat onto the chair on the corner of the kitchen.

Looking at her, Hannibal can tell that a part of Anastasia scare past self was still presence deep down. The way she informs him of everything she does, he knew that her ex must've want to know everything that she did and it appear that it still affects her, but she doesn't realize that she does this habit.

"What did you do to occupy your free time?"

"Clean, laundry, and now I finish prepping for tonight dinner." Hannibal tells her, putting the bowls into the fridge before letting the doors close by themselves behind him.

Anastasia walks up to Hannibal and reaches out to touch his chest, but he grabs her wrist and tugs her towards him. Her body press right up against his and his left arm wraps around her lower back, making sure she couldn't escape.

"Hannibal?"

He doesn't give her any reply, he only ducks his head down to bury his nose into her hair and take in her scent. The smells jumble around his senses before he leans his head down towards her neck.

The unknown scent was there but barely lingers on her. If the scent was visible, it would be slightly hovering over her skin. Opening his eyes, Hannibal could only stare at nothingness, not liking how he couldn't identify what was wrong with Anastasia. He wouldn't tell her because he didn't want to frighten her. For now, he will see if anything drastic changes with her.

…**..**

…**.. Hours Later: …..**

…**..**

"…And then Ms. Hon was teaching us how to write our names in cursive. She said that I did very well."

At the dinner table, Mischa was rambling on and on about her first day of school. Anastasia was closely listening in on Mischa's rambling with a smile, enjoying that her daughter was happy. Hannibal listen, but he mostly watch how a wide smile came onto Anastasia face and she seem to glow with happiness.

It was a good look on her.

After late evening dinner, Mischa was wash up and tuck into bed, not able to stop smiling about going to school the next day.

As for Anastasia, she walks to the master bedroom and heads straight to the connect on bathroom to take a hot shower that she has been craving since she gotten out of yoga.

While in the shower, Hannibal makes his presence into the bedroom and begins to strip out of his slacks and polo shirt and into a simple black pajama pants. He did walk into the bathroom to brush his teeth; his eyes couldn't help but wander to the walk in shower and taking in Anastasia naked body.

"Stop eyeing me, Hannibal."

He chuckles, finishing up with his teeth before walking out of the bathroom just as Anastasia shuts off the shower. Stopping in the doorway of the bathroom, Hannibal turns back around and he watches Anastasia drying herself off then looking at him with raise eyebrows.

Licking his bottom lip, Hannibal walks towards her and rips the towel out of her hand, throwing it off somewhere. Her body was still moist from the shower, but that didn't stop him from pulling her into his arms and whisking her away to the bedroom.

…**..**

Her body was outline by a faint golden glow from the gas fireplace lit parallel from the end of the king size bed. The glow almost makes her appear supernatural.

And the way her now butt length wavy dark brunette hair tumbles down her back like a chocolate waterfall when she toss her head back with a whisper of his name, she was a sight to behold.

Tonight, he let her have the dominance and the reign over him. Usually, most of the time he was in command at the pace and position, but tonight, she was to be the queen, the one in charge for now.

Sprawling his fingers across the span of her hips, Hannibal hands would occasionally give a gentle squeeze before relaxing. Caressing down her hips to her thighs, he could feel her muscles flexing with power as Anastasia was moving either up and down or side to side, sending burst of ecstasy throughout both their bodies.

Her soft hands rest upon his chest for a bit of support as leverage for her movements on him and some balance to stay perfectly aligns with him. Lifting his right hand off her thigh, Hannibal hand slides up her body like a snake, up her stomach between the valley of her full breasts to end up cupping the side of her neck to tug her down to his lips.

With lips together, their verbal sounds were smother, swallow back down as they reach the peaks of their climax and gently move together to milk out their release as long as possible.

Taste of spearmint from her mouth brush against his lips as she pants. Her sea foam green eyes were luminosity with pleasure while his eyes were the opposite. Hannibal eyes darken with pleasure and possessive of marking her as his, coating her with his scent.

Basking in their blissful state with light perspiration on their skin, Anastasia lays on top of Hannibal with her right ear press against his left chest pec, hearing his strong heartbeats thudding against his rib cage.

His left hand was press against the middle of her back, keeping her in place while his right hand was softly and slowly caressing up and down her back.

"You're heart beating is music to my ears, Hannibal." Anastasia raises her head, resting her chin on his chest and staring up at him with a soft smile.

Reaching up with his right hand, Hannibal brushes a few strands of hair away from her face. He then starts to trail his fingertips down her jawline, enjoying the tingling sensation run through his body for whenever he touches her.

"Then you understand why I hold you close every time you're around and when we are sleeping." Hannibal begins to tell her.

"Why, Hannibal?"

"Your heart beats this lullaby for only my ears to hear and every time it always has new beats that continuously soothes me no matter how many times I hear it beating. Your heart beating becomes my own personal soothing bell."

Staring at him in silence with a soften expression, Anastasia finds that Hannibal always has such adoring comments towards her. This one was like icing on the cake with extra chocolate shreds on it since she doesn't like cherries.

"You're too good to me." Anastasia mumbles, laying a kiss against the side of his neck.

"No, I worship you as you should be, Ana." And with that, Hannibal rolls them over so he was on top, his lips were against hers and he decides that he has to be dominating for this ecstasy round to back up his words to her.

…**..**

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…**..**

**Hi Everyone,**

**Here is another chapter for you!**

**Also, I realize in one of my chapters I mention that Mischa was already in school, well, I change it up to make it so she is just starting kindergarten in this chapter. In the other chapter that I mention her starting school, that is pre-school, I have decided.**

**Anyways, thanks for reading and please enjoy. The next chapter is going to be mixing in with the TV series once again.**

**Thank You! **


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter:** Pungent Fragrance: Part One

…**..**

…**.. A Month Later: …..**

…**..**

There were flurries of snow tinkling down from the skies, covering the Earth grounds in a fluffy white blanket, frequently piling up layer after layer to create inches by the hour in the first week of February.

Constant crunching of the snow from boots trudging through; Mischa was in the small backyard of Hannibal's home making snow angels or simply enjoying the snow.

Frigid air mix with hot air from Mischa breaths escaping from her mouth creates a fog cloud. Sticking out her tongue, Mischa silver blue eyes appear to be glowing against the snowy weather.

Hearing the backdoor open, Mischa whirls around but screams out as she loses balance and falls backwards into a small snow pile. Snow poof all around her and fall onto her.

An amuse chuckle comes from the door and then snow crunching underneath boots. Hannibal appears over Mischa, staring down at the five year old.

"Are you alright, Mischa?"

"Uh huh." Mischa sits up and then stood up, patting the snow off her before looking up at Hannibal with a smile.

"I need to shovel the walkways again. Do you wish to come?" Hannibal grabs the snow shovel off the side of the house while walking towards the gate on the side of the house. He opens the gate and looks back at Mischa, seeing that she was trailing behind him.

Hannibal lets her through then follows after her, walking alongside the house until they got out front.

While Hannibal shovel the thin blanket of snow off the walkway, Mischa was running around the front yard, tripping and falling into the snow here and there. She drops onto her back and begins to make a snow angel.

Pausing in his frigid work, Hannibal leans heavily on the snow shovel, staring at Mischa making a snow angel with a wide smile.

When Hannibal finishes with the shoveling and sets it aside to walk towards Mischa. She stuck her hands out to him making him to reach out and pull her up so she doesn't ruin the snow angel.

"Anni, can you make one too? My snow angel needs a protector and friend."

His eyes were instantly staring down at Mischa to which she stares back up at him with those innocent radiant eyes of hers. He hasn't made a snow angel since he was a kid and that was with his late little sister, Mischa.

This Mischa strikes him with warmth and he was heartfelt by her words. Therefore, Hannibal does what she request of him. Graciously for his height, Hannibal drops onto his back and begins to make a snow angel beside Mischa small snow angel figure.

From the house, Anastasia finish lacing up her winter boots and exits out the front door, smiling at the sight literally laid out before her. She uses her IPhone to take a few photo shots of the two before her.

Hannibal sits up, chuckling as Mischa tries to help him up with pulling his glove hands. She slips and falls onto her butt when he stood up to his full height. Hannibal still held her small hands and with an up momentum, Mischa was toss a bit into the air and Hannibal catches her.

The two look down at their snow angels side by side.

Crunching of boots makes Hannibal and Mischa to look behind to see Anastasia appearing beside them. She flashes them a joyous smile when she came to stand beside them.

If anyone was driving or walking by, the sight of the three people in front of Hannibal's front yard was one of those immaculate images of a faultless family. The three stood in the snow until Anastasia scoops up a pile of snow and sneaks up behind Hannibal.

Hannibal was gathering up the shovel while Mischa ran around the yard again. However, Mischa sees what her mother was doing and slaps her glove hands over her mouth to hide the giggling.

It was a bit improbable that Anastasia was going to do something mischievous to Hannibal, but she couldn't wait to perform it.

Storming forwards, Anastasia shoves the snow down the back of Hannibal's neck and ran off.

The coldness touch his skin and he instantly scrunch his neck up as a natural reaction to something uncomfortable touching the skin. Hannibal tries to brush the snow out of the neckline of his jacket while searching the yard for the culprit. Seeing Mischa standing there laughing and no Anastasia, he knew who it was.

"ANA!"

"RUN MOMMY!" Mischa yells, running around the house to find her mother.

Anastasia hid behind a bush, peeking over the top to see her daughter standing in the backyard, looking around for her. Then Hannibal appears, stalking around the edges of the backyard with eagle eyes.

He instantly found her within seconds and rips her out from behind the bushes. From there, he gets snow and begins shoving it down Anastasia jacket. She screams then lets out a lighthearted laugh.

Mischa stood to the side, smiling at the two adults trying to run away from one another while throwing snow at each other.

…**..**

…**.. Few Days Later: …..**

…**..**

The ticking of the clock was echoing through the grand office of Hannibal Lecter, who was sitting behind his desk with a sketch book and a charcoal pencil. Every so often, he would look up with a euphoric grin at who he was sketching.

On the lounge chair across the room from his desk, Anastasia was taking a nap, not knowing that Hannibal was ecstatically drawing this opportunity.

It was dark outside, almost close to seven thirty. The last appointment of the day was at seven thirty with Will Graham. Anastasia has been with Hannibal since six, bringing him her company and cookies that Mischa had made after school before grandfather took her away for the weekend.

Turning his left wrist over and pushing his sleeve up a little, Hannibal stares his watch and saw that it was seven thirty. Standing up, Hannibal shuts the sketch book and he places the charcoal pencil parallel to the book, perfectly align alongside the book.

He reaches behind him, grabbing his dark blue suit overcoat and pulls it back on, fixing the collars and the cuffs. Buttoning up the one button on the suit, Hannibal makes his way towards the napping Anastasia, wishing that he didn't have to wake her, but he must.

"Ana, Ana, you have to get up." Hannibal bends over her, resting his right hand on her shoulder.

Cracking open her eyes, Anastasia blinks a few times before mumbling nonsense. Hannibal steps back to watch Anastasia curl back up then stretch like a cat, groaning in relief of stretching out her stiff muscles.

"Is it seven thirty already?"

"I'm afraid so." Hannibal says, watching Anastasia stand up and stretch again.

He moves to the chair that he usually sits in across from his patients and he picks up her pea coat that she folded onto. Turning to her, Hannibal steps up behind her and helps her slip it on. When the coat was on, she turns around and digs into the coat pockets to pull out her gloves. Hannibal reaches forwards and begins to button up her pea coat making her to look at him, feeling a bit humble by his helpfulness towards her.

"Be safe on the roads. The frigid air most likely made the roads an ice skating rink." Hannibal says, staring at her with a look of authority and concern.

"I will. I just can't wait to get home, relax in a hot bath and be idle."

Hannibal chuckles, leading her to the door those patients wait. He would kill two birds with one stone by inviting Will in and seeing Anastasia out.

Opening the door, Will was seated on the couch, staring at the lamp on the tableside in a daze. Anastasia steps out of the office, glancing away from Will and at Hannibal with a bit concern and jittery of how motionless Will was.

"Will? Will?" Hannibal calls, stepping forwards and a bit in front of Anastasia.

Intake of breath then a slight shake of the head, Will looks at Hannibal then Anastasia before looking away with slight embarrassment for getting lost in his own head yet again. His mind felt jumble up, the remaining pieces of his sanity was slowly crackling down into puzzle pieces and was impure with the other broken pieces making him feel incomplete, fading away from the sane world.

"Will?"

"Dr. Lecter. Anastasia." Will stands up, keeping his head bow as he takes a few steps forwards towards Hannibal office.

Hannibal steps aside to let Will in, staring at the gifted profiler back before looking away and straying his eyes onto Anastasia.

"He isn't looking so good, Hannibal."

"Indeed. Anastasia." Hannibal says, resting his right hand on her hip as she steps to him.

Exchange of affection to one another with a simple peck on the lips, Anastasia then walks out the front door of the practice building while Hannibal stands there, not wanting her to leave his side. But he has work to do, especially on the patient that believes he was mentally breaking down before everyone's eyes.

Hannibal smirks as his plans of seeing Will breaking down was unfolding. The smirk slid off his face as he turns to step back into his practice room where Will was already seated in the patient chair.

A look of seriousness comes onto Hannibal's face, but underneath the surface, Hannibal was viciously smiling as everyone around him was trick by his impeccable exterior and personality.

…**..**

…**.. Late Night: …..**

…**..**

Only slight golden orange light from the automatic gas fireplace was lighting up the master bedroom, casting a slight glow across the peaceful sleeping face of Anastasia.

Amber hazel eyes were shining in the dark, the fireplace fire was giving a glowing reflection to his eyes. With ease, Hannibal sat down on the edge of the king size bed, beside Anastasia form.

Reaching out to her face, he brushes away a strand of her hair behind her ear, giving him the full view of her natural beauty face.

Arriving home, having the knowledge that she would be there brought an unknown feeling washing through him. It was a lively feeling, one that has no ill-fated thoughts whispering in the background like a conscious thought. He felt inexperience with this new feeling. There were no inconsequential judgments about these feelings, instead, he felt a bit jaunty, which wasn't something Hannibal Lecter really expresses or feels.

He begins to think that if Anastasia and Mischa were to ever vanish from his life, this insecure feeling bubble up within him. If that was to ever happen, then he feels that he has failed them and himself. They were his obligation and his second chance of protecting those close to him with the coincidence of having Mischa within their names. Quickly, Hannibal tries to shake the insignificant and irresponsible thought from his mind. But, before those thoughts completely vanish, one indelibly appears in his head.

Idealistically, the impeccable and stern Hannibal Lecter was actually afraid of ever losing Anastasia and Mischa.

…**..**

…**.. Couple Days Later: …..**

…**..**

The doorbell ranging makes Anastasia to shut the book she was reading and sets it aside on the small table beside the armchair. Pushing herself out of the chair, she walks out of the living room and into the foyer to answer the door.

Upon opening it, she sees it was Will.

"Hello, Will."

"Hello, Anastasia." Will lowly say, looking down at his feet before stepping forwards when Anastasia allows him into the house.

"Hannibal is just freshening up. Do you want a drink or anything relevant to that?" Anastasia asks, shutting the front door behind Will.

"No thank you."

They stand there in awkward silence before Anastasia moves a bit on her feet and stares right at Will. Anastasia knew that Hannibal was going to bring Will to a health care place where he has an old colleague, Dr. Ronald Sutcliffe; a neuroscience doctor was going to do a brain scan of Will's mind.

"Are you truly alright, Will?"

A sarcastic chuckle escapes Will making Anastasia to quietly take a deep inhale. Staring at Will and hearing him let out this dark chuckle, she can see how worn down Will was becoming, physically and mentally that it was effecting his emotions.

"Not really feeling to my full capacity." Will answers, heavily emphasizing on the last few words.

"Well, hopefully you will be clear minded."

"Yes, hopefully…" Will mumbles, staring around the foyer before stepping to Anastasia making her to tense up a bit.

"I'm fading, Ana, I feel as if I'm being less instructive at the crime scenes now…I contaminated the crime scene yesterday because I lost time. I-I feel like a loose screw jingling around until that one final bump will make me timber down into darkness." Will informs her, his voice shaking as he speaks.

Keeping an imperturbable posture, Anastasia musters up a small kindhearted grin and she reaches out to rest her hand on his shoulder, but stops herself from doing so. Acknowledging how her hand was coming up to comfort him, Will slightly looks at her to show that she has his full attention.

"I'm not going to lie to you Will and say that you are alright because you aren't. But know that there is always someone there with you, holding a candle for you to keep moving towards the light and out of the darkness that you seem to emphasize as losing sanity. It's going to be a bumpy road, Will, but you have to be nonstop moving through the darkness. I don't know what mortified thoughts you have or what you are mysteriously feeling, just don't let anyone push you too your limits, such as Jack. If you feel like you are being muffle out from reality, take a step back and breathe. Take up on your own actions before you become too noxious in that gifted mind of yours." Anastasia reaches out this time to give his left forearm a reassuring touch before stepping back and crossing her arms over her chest.

This time, Will was staring straight at her with a different light twinkling in his eyes, but it was soon gone as if his trouble mind over conquer his positive thoughts yet again.

"Good evening, Will." Hannibal appears from a different hallway with his car keys in hand.

"I see Anastasia has been keeping you company while I get ready."

"Yes. She is very good company doctor. You're lucky to have her." Will proclaims, glancing at Hannibal before taking a quick look at Anastasia.

Hannibal slightly glances at Anastasia, seeing how she crosses her arms over her chest. Usually that means a few things about her that Hannibal picked up. It was either she was closing herself off, protecting herself from the outer world, she just had a meaningful discussion that made her uncomfortable or angry, or she was being a smartass—as her father says. However, upon seeing this slight grateful look upon Will face when he took a glance at Anastasia, Hannibal knew that Anastasia must've had a deep, meaningful conversation with Will.

"Shall we, Will? Don't want to be late."

Will nods and he heads to the front door, opening it up and he takes one last glance at Anastasia.

"Thanks, Ana."

"Welcome." Anastasia nods her head with a small reassuring grin before looking to her left where she feels Hannibal's presence come up beside her.

Looking up at Hannibal, he was staring at Will with a slight stern look. Will steps outside and shuts the door behind him, deciding to get out of Hannibal authorizes stare and wait for him outside.

"Conversation?"

"Just seeing if he is alright." Anastasia turns to stand before Hannibal, taking him in.

She takes note that a small strand of his hair was starting to stick out from his slick back hair.

"Can I?" She says, her hands coming up towards his head.

"Do what you must." Hannibal says, shutting his eyes and breathing in her scent as she takes a step closer to him, her chest brushing up against his.

The usual scent of fresh rainfall fills his senses before he gets that new scent of lavender tickling his senses. He opens his eyes, feeling her brushing his hair back and making him to know that a piece must've came undone from his slick back hair style.

Reaching out, Hannibal rests his right hand on her side and his thumb move in small circles on her side and stomach.

"You two be good." Anastasia tells him in a motherly tone that makes him grin.

"We'll try." Hannibal amusingly replies, bending down to give her a kiss while taking in that new smell that was lacing with her scent.

He was debating whether or not she should come, maybe have herself check out too, but he decides against it. Whatever this scent was, it wasn't affecting her, not yet anyways.

"If I'm not around, I'm most likely going to be at yoga with Mrs. Komeda and Mrs. Whites. I never would've thought those two older woman at their age can bend in certain ways. Very flexible."

"And that is my cue to go." Hannibal shudders with a scrunch up look, pulling away from a laughing Anastasia. She had to laugh upon seeing a slight gross outlook appear on his face from her comment.

"Hannibal!"

"I did not want to know that type of information, Ana."

"You're the one that having dirty thoughts."

"See you later on, Ana." Hannibal waves before leaving the house altogether with a shake of his head and an amuse smile.

Anastasia snickers inside the house, glad that she was the only one—other than Mischa or her father—to make Hannibal show emotions that he never expresses to anyone else.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

**Hi Everyone,**

**Sorry for taking so long. I was in a slight roadblock at what to write. Anyways, here is a chapter. This is part one and part two will be coming out right after this one. We are back into the TV series part, if anyone hasn't notice.**

**So, here is a part one, part two coming out right after this one.**

**Enjoy and please keep on reviewing! It's a motivation key for me to keep writing. **

**Thanks!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Author Type Note Thingy: **

**Hi Everyone,**

**I hope everyone has been enjoying the story thus far. I want to thank those that have been devotedly posting a review all the time. I appreciate it! Therefore, thank you. **

**The following chapter is a long one just like the next chapter…yes, I have already written the next chapter. I'm on my 'A' game. Hence, please not only enjoy this chapter, but please, leave some reviews. **

**Just maybe I'll post the next chapter…**

**Anyways, enough of my talking (or rather typing), onward to the story!**

**Thanks!**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

**Chapter: **Pungent Fragrance: Part Two

…**..**

…**.. Few Days Later: …..**

…**..**

For the past few days, there appear to be this shroud of unpleasant darkness whenever Hannibal comes back from his practice building after having a session with Will.

On the third day, Anastasia has had enough and she went after Hannibal before he left the house from his lunch break and to head back to his practice building.

"Hannibal."

Turning away from the front door, Hannibal looks at a determine Anastasia coming towards him. It wasn't quintessential for Anastasia to comes at him with such fierce determination in her appearance.

"Is something wrong, Ana?"

"What is making you repulsive whenever you come home from having session with Will? I know that he is your last appointment every time, so don't try to deny it."

His eyebrows rose at the boldness that Anastasia presents to him. There was no question that Anastasia was fully back to her old self before her ex gotten to her. Though, there were still cracks here and there that were being filled up with new emotions, personalities that Anastasia is developing as she spends more time with him then the outside world.

In a way, seeing her developing intrepid emotions like his own, Hannibal has very deep prestigious for her. He also wishes to keep her away from the outside world, away from anyone that could taint her with non-impeccable ways. He wants to keep her all to himself.

Knowing that he wasn't going to slide off the hook that easily, Hannibal takes a few steps towards Anastasia and he rests his hands upon either of her hips, holding her in place.

"Foremost, I will like to apologize if my quarrelsome manners have affected you or Mischa."

"You're forgiven." Anastasia informs him, keeping her eyes on his and not letting down her determination of figuring out what was going on in that intelligent mind of his.

"For the result of my behavior as of late, it does have to do with Will and his condition. He is losing time even more and his hallucinations are getting worst."

"What is wrong with him, Hannibal? Don't lie to me."

Running his tongue over the front row of his teeth, he felt himself losing his quick-wittedness. He was actually, for once in his life, losing the battle as he stares into Anastasia radiant sea foam green eyes that holds nothing but warmth.

"Dr. Sutcliffe had found out that Will is suffering from advance encephalitis. It's the cause of his loss of time, hallucinations and looking disorientated from reality."

Searching Hannibal eyes, she didn't see any guilt in them but only a slight flash of careless and intention. She knew that Hannibal was up to something, something not benefiting anyone but himself.

"Did either of you tell him?" She whispers.

"No."

"Why?" She has to know the reason behind his thinking or rather what he was trying to get out of all of this.

"The brain is a very interesting organ to behold, Ana. Till this day there is still little information about how the brain functions. To have a scientific opportunity to physically and physiologically study what encephalitis can do, will help benefit future patients."

"Shouldn't Will know that you two are using him as an experiment?" Anastasia points out.

It was a prudent explanation that Hannibal informs her of, but it wasn't wise to perform this experiment when the subject hasn't given his consent. For that, Hannibal and Dr. Sutcliffe were keeping this information confidential to themselves.

Hannibal brought his right hand up to cup the side of Anastasia face and searches her eyes. As of late, she has been very questionable about everything, even questioning what type of nutrients is in food and drinks. It was a bit outlandish of her and Hannibal was beginning to think that the unfamiliar scent radiating off her was starting to affect her.

Feeling a bit puzzles by her own questionable self and being pessimistic, Anastasia shakes her head. She usually lets Hannibal do his own thing as long as it doesn't affect Mischa, Caius or her.

She knew that Hannibal was a dark man, but she never question his ways like this.

"It's putrid of what we are doing yet at the same time helpful for others in the near future." Hannibal assures her, pushing off any querulous feelings that were emerging from within him towards her.

"Right. Sorry about interrogating you. I'm just being a bit overprotective." Anastasia lowly admits, bowing her head.

Hannibal pulls her into his arms and rests his chin on top of her head. He kept her close, holding her for a few moments until she calms herself down. Her pervious behavior leaving both Hannibal and her to have questioning thoughts.

"I understand, Ana. There are some things that are going to be left unsaid, but I'll try to inform you of anything that might come back towards us. Understand?" Hannibal says, feeling her nod against his chest.

"Good. Now, I must be off. I'll see you later." Hannibal lays his lips on top of her head before pulling away from her.

Anastasia watches him go before turning away to head upstairs and change into workout clothes. Her right hand resting on her forehead, questioning herself about what happen to her morals until she realize what might've happen to them.

"They were stomp on by my ex. That is where my morals went." Anastasia mutters, walking to the dresser to pull out yoga pants, sports bra and tank top to wear for yoga class.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

Even since taking her first yoga class it slowly became a faithful activity in her lifestyle. She was thankful that Mrs. Komeda and Mrs. Whites have introduced her to it.

Taking these classes religiously, Anastasia felt herself becoming advance in the poses. Her body was feeling more flexible then she has ever been and she felt whenever she did yoga it releases any negative vibes or stress from her body, refreshing her.

At this very moment, Mrs. Komeda and Mrs. Whites sign them up to do a day of Bikram yoga or what is known as hot yoga. While doing this class, Anastasia makes a note in her head to never do this again as she didn't like being this hot while performing yoga.

She took notice that Mrs. Komeda and Mrs. Whites were sweating up a storm, panting a bit signaling that they were unprepared for this too.

As everyone was going into the bow pose, Anastasia felt something straining in her that she didn't like. She couldn't even bring her legs up behind her back to grab her feet and pull them up without feeling this uncomfortable strain and pain through her torso.

Dropping her legs to the ground and turning her head to the side, Anastasia shut her eyes as she felt herself becoming dizzy. It appear that her actions made Mrs. Komeda to stop and look at her with concern, especially when she knew that Anastasia was the one in their small group that can do unbelievable yoga poses.

"Anastasia?"

"Give me a minute." Anastasia whispers, trying to take deep inhales then exhales to calm her muscles down in her body. But the uncomfortableness and pain wasn't disappearing.

Pushing herself up onto her hands, Anastasia gets onto her knees and blindly reaches for her water bottle only to tip it over, hearing it roll a bit away from her. Opening her eyes, the room was tilting back and forth making Anastasia to clamp her eyes shut, feeling nauseous.

Greatly concern for her, Mrs. Komeda comes over to her and helps her stand.

"Let's get out of this hot room for you to take a breather." Mrs. Komeda led Anastasia out of the class with Mrs. Whites following closely behind with Anastasia water bottle.

Once out of the hot room, Mrs. Komeda tries to lead Anastasia over to a bench but couldn't, especially when Anastasia step falters making Mrs. Whites to drop the water bottle and lunge forwards.

Both Mrs. Komeda and Mrs. Whites were holding up Anastasia, who was groaning a bit in pain that it was bringing her to her knees.

"Ana, you have to tell me what is wrong?"

"Dizzy and body hurts." Anastasia manages to grumble out, feeling herself being lower to the ground as the two older women couldn't drag Anastasia slight limp self over to the bench.

"Can you drink this for me?" Mrs. Whites uncaps the top of Anastasia water bottle and brings it to Anastasia lips.

As the cool water touches Anastasia lips, a welling feeling was coming up her esophagus making her to slap her right hand over her mouth.

"Trash barrel, pot, anything." Anastasia quickly blurts out causing the yoga receptionist behind a desk to run over with a small trash bin.

Snatching the bin from the receptionist hands, Anastasia bends over it and begins to throw up her breakfast and lunch. Mrs. Komeda rubs her back while Mrs. Whites were standing there with wariness of what was happening to Anastasia.

Spitting into the trash bin, Anastasia sets it aside and lays back onto the ground, groaning from the sudden wave of dizziness washing over her.

"We have to get you to the hospital, dear."

"It's probably dehydration or something I ate." Anastasia tries to reason, but knew it wasn't the case, especially when she had drank a lot of water last night and this whole day.

"Nope, we are taking you. Let's get up."

It probably took ten minutes to get Anastasia to the front door of the building as her body was feeling drain and it wasn't helping that she was on the verge of passing out from being dizzy that her body couldn't handle it.

Thankfully, a yoga instructor was on his way in and he easily lifts Anastasia up, carrying her over to Mrs. Komeda car. Once Anastasia was in the car, Mrs. Komeda most likely broke a few road rules to get Anastasia to the hospital.

Upon arrival, Anastasia was place in a wheelchair and was wheel off with Mrs. Komeda by her side. Mrs. Whites took the liberty of calling Hannibal to inform him of the poor condition that came down upon Anastasia.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

That lavender scent that was unknown to him has finally taken effect of Anastasia body. Whatever it was, he was going to soon find out when he enters her hospital room.

His strides were powerful as he storms down the hallway, dodging nurses, doctors and patients that were scurrying about. He was a man on a mission and if anyone disrupt his mission, they were lucky that they were already within a hospital.

It took about five phone calls from Mrs. Whites for Hannibal to finally answer. Hannibal was with a patient at the time while his phone was silently going off in his office desk. When the patient left, he so happen to see his cellphone light up when he open his draw to pull out his appointment book.

The frantic and desperate tone of Mrs. Whites explaining about what was happening to Anastasia didn't help the dread that was pooling in Hannibal's stomach and dropping to the bottom like a rock.

Finding the room, Hannibal enters to see Caius sitting in the corner with Mischa sleeping on his lap. The doctor was in the room checking over Anastasia before turning to face Hannibal with a grin, but upon seeing Hannibal dreadful look, the grin slowly drop.

"I will give you a moment." The doctor steps out of the room, Caius following closely with Mischa in his arms.

Once the door shut, Hannibal stares at Anastasia lying on the bed with her right arm over her eyes and her left across her stomach. Lifting her arm up slightly to see who it was, she saw Hannibal coming towards her.

She points at the file on the side of the bed making Hannibal to reach out, grab it and open it up to see the contents inside.

"For three months…three months of having this and I didn't have any clue. I'm going to apologize to you now, Hannibal. You have taken care of Mischa and me so much that I'm forever in your debt. But this, I don't want to be any more of a burdensome to you, especially this. I'm not forcing this on you to take care of me or whatever, but—"

"Ana, sorry for my rudeness of cutting in and for saying this, but kindly shut up." Hannibal pulls something out of the file before throwing the whole file onto the nightstand, keeping whatever he has taken from the file in his left hand.

"Excuse me?" Anastasia sits up, staring at him in disbelief as she couldn't believe what Hannibal just said to her.

Her facial expression must be priceless at the moment.

"So this was the lavender smell that I have smelled."

"You knew with your inhuman smelling senses?" Anastasia stares at him with her mouth dropping slightly.

Hannibal was a bit rigid up at the moment as he stares at the slip in his hand before looking at Anastasia. Anastasia wasn't the only one in definite shock.

"I have a parasite growing inside of me, living off of me for the past three months without my knowledge and I'm sorry for doing this to you." Anastasia admits, bowing her head as she couldn't bear looking at him anymore.

Hating seeing Anastasia upset in any way, Hannibal moves over to her and sits down beside her. He pulls her into his arms and makes her lean on his chest to comfort her.

"You are going to be unbelievably wonderful to in the next six months." Hannibal whispers into her hair, wrapping his left arm around her and holding out his right arm with the slip in his hand.

It wasn't a simple slip but rather a small black and white photo of an ultrasound. There was a whitish grey small human shape figure.

"Don't you apologize for this, Ana."

"But you are have an impeccable lifestyle that I don't want to throw this on you."

"We have Mischa and did she effect my lifestyle?" Hannibal points out, glancing down at the top of Anastasia head before looking back at the ultrasound photo with a sense of pride running through him.

The pride for creating an heir within his lover. It was this alpha side in him that was howling for making another life form that he can call his own.

"No, she didn't."

"What's one more then? You're not a burdensome, Anastasia, neither is Mischa. You're a second chance for me."

"Second chance?" Anastasia looks away from the ultrasound photo to stare up at Hannibal with raise eyebrows.

"Do you remember how I told you about my late little sister?"

"Yes."

"When she was killed, I felt every emotions within me leave my body and died with her that day. As Mischa and you appear, your names were not only coincidence but I felt as if it was a second chance to protect you two when I couldn't protect my little sister. I have felt obligated towards you two. But it slowly turns into something else. I realize that you two have brought out more emotions from me then I ever had since that day my little sister was taken from me. You and Mischa are the only and most priceless and important individuals in my life. Now, this unborn child of ours is going to be added to that list." Hannibal says, glancing down at Anastasia stomach and taking note that there was a slight bump that neither appears to realize before.

A tear escapes from Anastasia right eye making Hannibal to kiss it away and hold her close. The two stare at the ultrasound, seeing that at three months their unborn child has develop fully. The can see the arms, hands, fingers, feet and the toes. The child was becoming human and out of its alien looking stage.

"Now, how did this go unnoticed by you?"

"You're asking me? I have no freaking clue. My cycles were always messed up after dealing with my ex for years. The doctor inform me that I might've been one of those cases of I didn't know I was pregnant. Just think, I could be walking and all of a sudden a baby just slips out."

Hannibal bit his tongue to not chuckle, but he slightly let one loose. Anastasia slaps him on the chest causing him to let out the rest of his chuckles.

"I don't know if that'll happen, Anastasia."

"It could! There were cases like that."

"Well when your due date is close, we will just have to keep a close eye on you, won't we?" Hannibal states, resting his head on top of hers and shutting his eyes.

"Yes, I guess we do…six more months." Anastasia whispers, plucking the ultrasound photo from his right hand and staring at her developing son or daughter with a small grin.

…**..**

…**.. Next Day: …..**

…**..**

After the whole fiasco with Anastasia and the surprise announcement of her pregnancy, they were back to daily life. Tonight, Hannibal has invited Dr. Ronald Sutcliffe over for a late evening dinner, but also to discuss more about Will's condition.

"I believe that a congratulation is in order for you and Hannibal." Dr. Sutcliffe says, lifting his wine glass up with a charming smile.

"Thank you." Hannibal says, glancing at Anastasia sitting across from Dr. Sutcliffe. She gives the doctor a small smile and a nod of her head, her cheeks slightly turning red for the sudden comment.

"I would've never thought that I would see the day that Hannibal becomes a father. It's going to be an interesting sight to see." Dr. Sutcliffe informs mostly to Hannibal as earlier, Mischa made her presence known before being tuck away into bed after she ate.

"Indeed. Now, _Jamon Iberico._" Hannibal says tonight's dinner.

On the table, Hannibal has what appears to be a large rear leg from a pig that he slice a portion off to be able to slice thin slices of the ham.

"Still love your little rare treats, don't you, Hannibal? The more expensive and difficult they are to obtain, the better." Dr. Sutcliffe points out, remembering back when they work together that Hannibal would invite colleagues over for dinner or see Hannibal bring in containers of his own food.

"It's a distinction that adds an expectation of quality." Hannibal replies, setting the knife down and walking around the backside of Dr. Sutcliffe chair.

He had only been cutting a few more slices to prepare anyone's plate if they were to ask for some more of the slice ham.

Anastasia eyes follow Hannibal, taking him in before glancing across from her at Dr. Sutcliffe, seeing how polar opposite he was to Hannibal's strict ways.

"Not always."

"Well, for _Iberico, _only a few thousand are selected each year. But is the pig, once fattened and slaughtered and air cured, really superior to any other pig?" Hannibal sits down in his seat, picking up his silverware.

"Or is it simply a matter of reputation preceding product?" Hannibal finishes of his explanation.

Anastasia stabs a few slices of ham, lifting it to her lips and graciously shove it into her mouth with as much proper she could muster. The taste was heavenly and she knew the little one was happily taking his or her portion and most likely make Anastasia crave this dish later on tonight.

"It's irrelevant. If the meat-eater thinks it's superior, then belief determines value." Dr. Sutcliffe answers, waving his fork with slices of ham at the end of it around before placing it within his mouth, getting a pleasure look upon his face.

"A case of psychology overriding neurology." Hannibal says, lifting his fork with some rice to his mouth.

Anastasia glances in between the two men while reaching for her glass of water. She has a feeling that this conversation was relating to the situation at hand about Will. Glancing at Dr. Sutcliffe, she can see a bit of troublesome mix in with curiosity coming across his face.

"So, we know how _Iberico _gets his pigs. How did you get yours?" Dr. Sutcliffe asks, looking up from his plate and adjusting himself in his seat.

The neuroscience doctor has taken the bait that Hannibal cast out into the water that Hannibal was luring him in. Hannibal faultlessly managed to persuade Dr. Sutcliffe into getting right into the conversation that both needed to discuss about.

"Are you referring to Will Graham?" Hannibal pauses in what he was doing to look at Dr. Sutcliffe with a look of innocence and cluelessness, which was definitely not the way Hannibal acts.

"We know you're fond of the rarified. What makes him so rare?" Dr. Sutcliffe queries, wanting to know what is so special about Will that has capture Hannibal attention.

"Will has a remarkably vivid imagination. Beautiful." Hannibal pauses, glancing at Anastasia with a spark in his eyes before slowing his attention on their guest.

"Pure empathy. Nothing he can't understand, and that terrifies him." Hannibal looks back down at his plate, cutting the slices of ham into smaller pieces.

"So you set his mind on fire." Dr. Sutcliffe looks at Hannibal with slight distraught appearing onto his face, slowly seeing how calm Hannibal was about all of this, not even a bit concern about the wellbeing of Will.

"Imagination is an interesting accelerant for a fever." Hannibal simply states, not looking up from cutting into the slices of ham.

Anastasia stares at Dr. Sutcliffe, seeing that he was becoming uncomfortable about this conversation. She knew that Dr. Sutcliffe was starting to have second thoughts of letting Will condition to worsen, which was something that Dr. Sutcliffe would have never let happen.

"So, how far does this go? Do you put out the fire or do you let him burn?" Looking up from his plate, Dr. Sutcliffe stares at Hannibal with uncertainty.

"Will is my friend. We will put out the fire when it's necessary." Hannibal looks up from his plate, staring down Dr. Sutcliffe with seriousness.

"He has asked for more tests."

"Now that we have confirmed what it is, it'll be easier to hide from him." Hannibal states, lifting his wine glass up, swirling the content inside before bringing the glass to his lips.

There was wariness across Dr. Sutcliffe face mix in with sentimental for Will. It quickly vanishes when Hannibal set down his glass of wine. Anastasia knew she was the only one to catch Dr. Sutcliffe showing such emotions, but she knew that Hannibal already knows that Dr. Sutcliffe was feeling sorry for letting Will suffer like the way he is.

…**..**

…**.. Later On: …..**

…**..**

Folding the white and blue sheets back, Anastasia slips into the king size bed and pulls the sheets back over her. A sigh of relief escapes from her lips for finally being off her feet.

It was late at night, Hannibal had left the house an hour after Dr. Sutcliffe left with a look of aggressiveness and determination. Anastasia knew that Hannibal was going to follow Dr. Sutcliffe and show that no one should go against Hannibal words or commands.

As time ticks by, the only light in the room was the automatic fireplace that turns on from sensing the temperature dropping outside.

A hand brushing across her lower stomach has cause Anastasia to snap awake and quickly grab hold of the hand that was upon her stomach where the unborn child was. A feral look was in her eyes, protection for the baby, but as she turns her head to the right to see it was Hannibal, she relaxes and she releases his hand.

Seeing how protective and high senses Anastasia was towards him, Hannibal can see the truth of how mothers become when pregnant. Having high senses and such protectiveness to protect their unborn child, especially their unborn child.

"It's only me."

"What time is it?" Anastasia mumbles, moving herself closer to Hannibal. He let her cuddle against him with open arms.

"Around midnight." Hannibal answers, running his right hand on her stomach and taking in the firmness that the unborn child was growing.

"Do I even have to ask what you did?" Anastasia tiredly asks, her eyes shutting and her head resting against Hannibal chest.

"You'll find out soon enough." Hannibal says, his chin resting on top of her head and his eyes staring into the darkness of the bedroom, thinking about how the next few days was going to become hectic with unstable individuals.

…**..**

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**Hi Everyone,**

**And so here is part two with the big surprise! **

**I have to admit that it is weird seeing Hannibal with children, but at the same time, he does need a heir to continue his family line, right? **

**Anyways, please enjoy and reviewing for future chapters to come quicker.**

**Thank You!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter:** Controlling the Strings

…**..**

…**.. Few Weeks Later: …..**

…**..**

Hands caress up then down the beginning of a bulging round stomach. Turning to the left then the right, looking at the side view in the mirror, clad in only pants and her bra, Anastasia couldn't get over the fact that she was pregnant.

Now, four months at that.

Now that she knew that she was pregnant, her body was catching up to the second trimester stage of being pregnant by accustoming her body to what it supposed to look like at seventeen weeks.

"You're glowing with motherhood."

Turning away from looking at the mirror in the connected on bathroom to the master bedroom, Anastasia turns to see Hannibal standing in the doorway. He takes a few steps towards her, looking down at her hands resting upon her lower stomach. Reaching out, Hannibal rests his hand on top of her right hand.

"Any thoughts of what the sex might be?"

"I want a boy. Therefore, there will be one of each. A boy and a girl." Anastasia tells him, staring down at their join hands on the lower part of her stomach where a developing baby bump was showing.

"Understandable. I'm looking forwards to either boy or girl." Hannibal says, pulling away from her to allow Anastasia to pull her shirt back on.

"Your father is here with something to tell you. He appears to be very giddy about whatever he has to inform you with." Hannibal tells her, walking out of the bathroom with her.

Anastasia takes notice that since her pregnancy announcement, Hannibal has been watching her like a hawk. He makes sure that she takes her vitamins, always eating a good portion of food and she is comfortable, stress free. She can understand why he was like this because this was his first child and he doesn't want to do anything wrong or anything to go wrong.

A grin came onto her face upon thinking about Hannibal being a father. He was going to be fine as he was already good towards Mischa.

Getting downstairs and entering the living room, Mischa was laid out on the floor, her tongue sticking out as she was concentrating on writing her name in cursive on a sheet of paper as her homework.

Caius was sitting in the armchair with a grin on his lips as he watches Mischa concentrating. When Anastasia enters the room with Hannibal, he looks up with this euphoric twinkle in his eyes.

"Father what has you glowing with high energy?" Anastasia asks making her way over to the couch to sit down and get off her feet. Hannibal stands beside the couch, staring at Caius with a slight tilt of his head.

"Mai is down and wants to see you."

"Mai!" Anastasia exclaims causing Mischa to looks up with wide eyes and Hannibal to look down at Anastasia with curiosity for her excitement.

"Who's Mai?" Mischa asks.

Hannibal was wondering the same thing, especially seeing how excited Anastasia was getting. She seems to be glowing even more then she already was.

"Mai was Anastasia nanny growing up. That woman was practically a mother to Anastasia, taking her everywhere and teaching her everything." Caius explains, standing up and buttoning the one button on his suit overcoat.

"Where is she?"

"She is at a townhouse that she decided to buy as her vacation home. But upon hearing you pregnancy, she jokily yet hinted to me about being your newborn nanny." Caius winks, walking towards the direction of the front door. He only came over to tell Anastasia the news face to face.

"We should visit her. The last time I talk to her was when I was eight months pregnant with Mischa." Anastasia stands up, resting her right hand on her lower stomach before her eyes went onto Hannibal.

"I don't see why not, especially if she makes you this excited." Hannibal chuckles as Anastasia kisses him on the cheek before rushing off about getting dress. Mischa ran after Anastasia, shouting about getting pretty too.

Turning to Caius, Hannibal tucks his hands in his suit pant pockets. He stares at Caius with a questionable look, wanting to know more about this Mai, especially with Anastasia pregnant and Hannibal in full out protective alpha mode over his first child.

If there was one person that wouldn't be humble and would be honest it was Caius. Thus, Hannibal can always looks towards Caius to bring any information without being lied to.

"You're still wondering about this Mai?"

"Yes. A mother to Anastasia?"

Caius lets out a sigh and runs his right hand through his dark brown hair, messing it up. He drops his hand away from his head, letting it slap against his side.

"Anastasia mother abandon us when we were young. She didn't want to handle a child at seventeen. I was seventeen too. I took care of Anastasia as much as I could, but when I was in college, it was hard. Mai Lee was like a heaven sent and I hire her to be a nanny for Anastasia. From there, she was a nanny to Anastasia until Anastasia went off to college. Mai retire and move back to Tokyo then Italy since she loves the culture." Caius explains.

Hannibal nods, glad that he got the informational background of this woman. Hearing footfalls, both men turn to see Anastasia holding Mischa hand and coming towards them with smiles.

"Let me get my coat and keys." Hannibal walks away, going to get the necessaries that he announced.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

It took about fifteen minutes to get to this townhouse that was close to the busy parts of Baltimore city. Pulling the supercharge Bentley up behind Caius' Bentley Continental Gt, they were in front of a quaint looking two story grey brick townhouse.

Exiting out of the vehicle, Anastasia felt her heart quickly beating with excitement and nervousness to finally see Mai again. Hannibal got Mischa out of her booster seat before locking and alarming his car.

Wrapping his arm around Anastasia waist and holding Mischa hand in his free hand, they begin walking up the steps that lead into the building. The front doors open to show Caius with a smile.

Upon entering the home, Hannibal takes in the boxes still being unpacked. Caius was leading them down the townhouse hallway, where Hannibal kept looking around the surroundings. As they pass by the doorway of the living room, he takes notice of the Japanese and Italian artwork and culture artifacts lying around. Looking forwards, they were entering a kitchen were pots were heard clanking around and gentle muttering.

"Mai, look who is here." Caius announces.

From behind stacks of boxes, a head pokes up to show an older woman.

"Mai!"

"Oh little Ana!"

Hannibal lets go of Anastasia, watching her quickly move forwards and was engulf by the older woman name Mai, arms. They rock back and forth, not looking like they were going to be letting each other go too soon.

Taking in the new face, Hannibal begins to analyze the older woman that appears to be entering her sixties and was of the Japanese heritage. From the way she was hugging Anastasia, she was still strong for her age. There were slight wrinkles at the corner of her eyes and a bit around her mouth, showing that she was always smiling, especially with the way they disappear as she was smiling as she hugs Anastasia. Slight strands of silver were peeking through her black hair that was pulled back into a high bun. What stuck out were her light chocolate brown eyes that appear to have flecks of gold around the pupils.

"Let me look at you." Mai puts her hands on Anastasia shoulders and steps back a little, looking Anastasia up and down, but her eyes rests upon Anastasia lower stomach.

"Oh yes, I see you are definitely pregnant. Glowing with motherhood once again. Where is your little one?"

"Mischa." Anastasia turns, holding her hand out.

Mischa slowly comes forwards, shyness appearing in her posture until Mai kneels down with a smile and hugs the little girl.

"You are beautiful like your mother. Oh, look at you."

A giggle escapes Mischa at the older woman holding her and before Mai was cupping Mischa face, checking over the little one with a smile. Standing up from kneeling down, Mai looks straight at Hannibal with perfect pluck eyebrows rising.

"And are you the father of the soon to be child?"

"Yes. Dr. Hannibal Lecter." Hannibal steps forwards bowing a bit making Mai to grin and bow back. Mai clasps her hands in front of her, eyeing Hannibal up and down, taking in every little detail of him.

"Strong. Loyal. Over protective of what you see as yours. Does very good for himself and to Mischa and Ana." Mai begins listing off about what she thinks about Hannibal. She looks over her left shoulder at Anastasia with a smirk.

"Good choice, Ana."

Anastasia and Caius gently laugh at Mai analyzing Hannibal while a slight smirk graces Hannibal lips.

"Shall we sit down in the sunroom and have tea?" Mai innocently asks, glancing at everyone with a gentle smile.

…**..**

…**.. Couple Hours Later: …..**

…**..**

Tea cups were empty and scatter across the round table, left forgotten as the individuals around were reminiscing about past memories and stories.

Within a couple of hours Hannibal has learn that Anastasia was a bit of a daredevil during her childhood and teenage years thanks to Mai telling amusing stories. Especially the story about Anastasia riding a horse into the house at the age of thirteen because she didn't want her horse to be cold in the barn house during the winter.

While Mischa passed out on the couch in the living room, the adults stayed in the sunroom still having ongoing conversations, which slowly became serious when Mai stare down Hannibal.

"I have notice how free Anastasia is. She has regain back righteousness…did you get rid of the bastard? I can see it in your eyes that you are not a normal man."

"Mai, such language." Caius mockingly scowls to which Mai waves him off and she looks back at Hannibal with a stern look.

"Yes. He is out of the picture." Hannibal answers.

"Good, because if he wasn't I was going to step in."

"With what? You're turning sixty years old, Mai. I don't think that you can still fig—ow, ow, ow." Caius winces as Mai grabs a hold of his ear and begins twisting it. Anastasia puts her right hand over her mouth, trying to hide her snickering.

"Don't judge a book by its cover." Mai hisses at Caius making him to nod and then let out a breath of relief when Mai lets go of his ear from her vice grip.

Feeling her stomach rumbling, Anastasia rests her hands upon her lower stomach making Hannibal to become alert. He puts his right hand on top of her hands, staring at her with curiosity.

"Hungry?"

"Yeah." Anastasia nods making Hannibal to nod back.

"Well, that is your cue to go then. You need to keep that little one healthy. But first, I have something to give you."

Mai got up and disappear down the hallway leaving Caius to stand up and pull on his jacket. He was going to leave once Hannibal, Anastasia and Mischa leave. When Mai came back into the room with boxes in her hand, they look at her with curiosity.

Setting down both boxes, Mai opens one up and pulls out a deep depth picture frame. She holds it out towards Anastasia to which Anastasia takes then laughs at what was inside the frame.

"You frame it."

"Indeed. It was an accomplishment of yours that day. I remember you running around the house, screaming your head off about making an iron tessen." Mai snickers when she sees Anastasia blushing a bit at the memory.

The picture frame was like a box to be able to have a thin item inside. Inside the picture frame was an iron war fan that was black with silver trimming and silver cherry blossom design. The fan was known as a Tessen. Everything was made of iron making it a weapon, but when close/folded up, no one could tell. This one in the picture frame was open up to show its work.

Pulling a few more war fans out of the box, Mai holds them out towards Hannibal and Anastasia.

"Ana made all of these when she was growing up with my late husband. He was a blacksmith, you could say. Whenever Anastasia was around our home and she wasn't in my present, I could always find her in the shop with my husband." Mai smiles, watching Hannibal eyeing each of the fans, opening them up and trailing his fingertips across each iron panel.

"I have a few in my study room that Anastasia made too." Mai admits with a grin.

"I can't believe that you kept this. But you don't mind if I have these ones?"

"It is yours and I wish for you to have it. You never took them with you when you move into your first home."

"True." Anastasia looks down at the picture frame holding her first handmade war fan before looking over at the three that Hannibal was holding.

After receiving the fans with much enjoyment, Hannibal brought Mischa and Anastasia home, needing to make dinner and make sure that Anastasia and their little one was satisfy.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

While Anastasia was in the shower, Hannibal took the time to take the picture frame that holds Anastasia first handmade iron war fan known as a Tessen. He was holding it in his hands, staring at the details before he looks up to stare at the blue and gold trimming of full suited Japanese samurai armor residing in the small two way hallway—to the left it led to the bathroom and the other way leads to the walk-in closet.

The armor was in honor of his aunt, Lady Murasaki and respect for her. She was his first true love, which he never brings up to anyone, not even Anastasia. Maybe, one day he will but not now. For now, his eyes come off the armor to stare back down at the war fan.

Feeling the back of the frame, Hannibal felt a stand on the back of it causing him to pull it open. He moves a tiny round table made of dark cherry wood near the armor but not too close. There, he sets the picture frame with the unique iron war fan.

Stepping back, Hannibal takes in the sight and knows he has to add something else to the other side now, of the armor, maybe another war fan. But for now, he realizes that he has taken a huge step in his life of accepting another woman into his life now. The war fan that Anastasia had made was a symbol of his respect to her. He felt a bit impressionable, but at the same time he felt good about allowing Anastasia into his life, one that has his highest respect.

Taking one last glance, Hannibal turns away and makes his way back into the bedroom before Anastasia sees what he had done. Walking to the fireplace, he stands before it and stares at it before looking at the mantle were three other war fans were folded up and lying across the mantle, waiting for a place to be set.

He was focus on the fans that he was a bit startle when hands slide against his sides and then arms wrap around him from behind. A face nuzzling in between his shoulder blades and takes in a deep inhale of his scent.

For a while the two stood in front of the fireplace, enjoying the others company in silence. Soon, a yawn escapes from Anastasia and she slides her arms away from Hannibal, stepping away from him.

Turning to face her, Hannibal leads her towards their bed, wanting her to get a good rest. No argument was made as he pulls the blankets back and watches her slip into the bed.

He took his time of getting to bed, walking around the bedroom first to shut off all the lights before making his trip back to the bed. Sliding underneath the sheets, Hannibal adjusts himself onto his left side to face Anastasia.

Like every night, Anastasia move her body to be close to him, feeling safe when she was near him. Sometimes when she didn't move close enough to him, he would come to her.

No words were exchange as Anastasia shuts her eyes, but not without feeling Hannibal right hand trailing down her side and coming to rest upon her lower stomach. A wave of protectiveness circulates around the two, or rather, three.

…**..**

…**.. Few Days Later: …..**

…**..**

"You're cooking more portions then for us tonight. Who's the guest?"

Hannibal smirks and looks up from cooking the curry within the stainless steel pot. His eyes focusing on Anastasia making her way into the kitchen with Mischa trailing behind her like a duckling following the mother duck.

"Tonight, Dr. Frederick Chilton is going to be coming over to discuss about his unsettling circumstances about going to trial with his patient."

"For what?" Anastasia asks, opening the refrigerator to grab herself a water bottle and then grabbing the glass container that holds homemade lemonade.

Mischa walks towards the area that has glass cups in the cupboard. Anastasia reaches up into the cupboard to grab a small cup, pouring the lemonade in it before handing the cup to Mischa.

"Thank you."

"Welcome." Anastasia smiles, watching Mischa taking sips of the lemonade while walking out of the kitchen.

Putting the lemonade back into the refrigerator, Anastasia walks over to stand on the other side of the breakfast island and she watches Hannibal continue to cook, occasionally taking gulps of water from her water bottle.

Now that Mischa wasn't presence in the kitchen, Hannibal can inform Anastasia about what was going on. He always waits until Mischa wasn't presence anymore to start discussing matters that her innocent five year old ears shouldn't hear, especially about anything involving or relevant to his work. For Mischa was a curious five year old that was also smart for her age and most likely voice out her opinions with how sociable she was becoming. Then again, she was going to be eating dinner with them tonight, thus, she was most likely going to hear the conversation unless Anastasia distracts her.

"He has Dr. Abel Gideon believing that he is the Chesapeake Ripper, which he isn't and he will never be." Hannibal states with a slight sharpness to his tone.

The sharpness within his tone makes Anastasia to know that Hannibal wasn't happy with another individual trying to share his title. Licking her bottom lip, Anastasia looks up from staring at her water bottle to stare at Hannibal.

"I assume that Dr. Gideon realizes what Dr. Chilton was doing, thus, bringing him to court because Dr. Chilton has jumble up his mind to believe that he is someone that he is not. But also, that is not only messing up his thought process, but his process of becoming a step closer to sanity."

"Indeed, Ana. What Dr. Chilton has done is psychic driving. Only he didn't know when to stop and that tool soon turn against him."

"So, he got too egotistic?"

"In better words, yes." Hannibal agrees with a nod of his head.

"Does that mean that he is screwed?"

Hannibal glances up at her with raise eyebrows for her use of words. She gives him a simple shrug and innocent look, not knowing a better word to describe Dr. Chilton situation.

"He might slip away with a slap on the wrist, but knowing him, he doesn't exactly have a backbone, especially when he is being verbally attacked and knowing what he has done."

"The lawyers will tear him apart then?"

"Most definitely."

A snort escapes Anastasia while Hannibal looks up at her with an amuse glint in his eyes.

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…**..**

To say the least, Anastasia can see why Hannibal says that this Dr. Frederick Chilton doesn't exactly have a backbone to strongly defend himself.

Upon meeting the head psychiatrist doctor from the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, Anastasia notice how nervous and fidgety he was when he had entered the house.

She knew that the man was nervous for going to court tomorrow with Dr. Gideon, but Dr. Chilton looks like he was going to pass out at any moment. The man could not stop moving and his skin was starting to look paler by the minute.

"He's going to pass out if you don't show up soon." Anastasia pass by Hannibal saying, glancing at him as he was plating the curry for tonight's dinner.

Hannibal glances up, watching Anastasia look over her shoulder at him with a smirk before disappearing down the hallway that led into the dining room. He looks back down, seeing that he has completed the dish.

When Hannibal picks up the plate, he looks to his left where Mischa was holding the metal spoon for him to scoop the curry out of the plate.

"Ready?"

"Yep!" Mischa nods her head causing her long ponytail to sway away.

Hannibal turns and begins walking down the hallway into the dining room with Mischa trailing behind him. He pauses and holds his right hand out, where Mischa places the metal serving spoon into his hand before she goes to the chair that was beside her mother.

Anastasia glances over her shoulder at Hannibal with raise eyebrows before she makes an implication with her eyes towards Dr. Chilton for Hannibal. Hannibal glances at Dr. Chilton, who was standing at the double glass doors that lead out into the backyard and watching a small amount of flurries falling from the night sky.

"Someone who already doubts their own identity can be more susceptible to manipulation. Dr. Gideon is a psychopath. Psychopaths are narcissists. They rarely doubt who they are." Hannibal begins, walking around the table and setting the plate down on the corner of the table.

Looking at the setup of the plates, Hannibal once again outdoes himself. He always does. Instead of the food being place on the plate, there were leaves made into a bowl on the plates that the curry would go into.

"I tried to appeal to his narcissism." Chilton says, fidgeting with his fingers.

Anastasia glances at Mischa, seeing the little girl was placing with her fork before looking up at Anastasia. Anastasia gives her a smile, tickling her sides and causing the little girl to giggle, but quickly put her hands over her mouth to not be loud to interrupt the conversation Hannibal was having. What Anastasia was doing was keeping her daughter distracted from the conversation, but at the same time, trying to listen in on it.

"Eat up." Anastasia whispers to Mischa, eyeing the little girl plate to see slices of chicken on it.

If Hannibal had prep Mischa her own plate then the plate that he was serving the adults was his own type of meat. Anastasia bit her tongue, glancing at Hannibal in the corner of her eyes and knowing that she has to keep thinking about positive thoughts and not what the lamb curry truly was.

"By convincing him he was the Chesapeake Ripper." Hannibal retorts in a calm manner while trying to spoon enough lamb curry onto the spoon to place into Chilton dish.

"If only I had been more curious about the common mind." Chilton stares out the glass doors, appearing to be in a trance.

"I have no interest in understanding sheep, only eating them." Hannibal finishes plating the curry into the leaf shape bowl on the plate.

He steps back once he plated the food, placing his right hand on the back of the seat that Chilton was going to sit in and he pulls it back.

"Kudal. A South Indian curry. Made from sheep, of course." Hannibal gives Chilton a grin, holding his arm out to lead Chilton into his seat.

Once Chilton sat down, Hannibal moves to the plate that holds the curry, picking it up and begins his trip around the table to put some into Anastasia plate before he does his.

"Bathed in a coconut-coriander chili sauce." Hannibal explains, putting a scope into the leaf made bowl on Anastasia plate before moving to his and doing the same.

"It feels like a last supper."

An amuse grin came onto Anastasia face as well as Hannibal.

Looking to her left, Mischa was digging right in to her meal making Anastasia to touch the end of her daughter's ponytail before turning to her own meal.

"You're not the only psychiatrist accused by a patient of making them kill. Poke around a psychopath's mind, bound to get poked back." Hannibal unbuttons his overcoat as he sits himself down and pulls his seat in.

"What would you do in my position?"

The fork that was traveling up to her lips pause, eyeing between Hannibal and Chilton, seeing that Chilton hasn't even made a move to touch his plate. Instead, he was a nervous-wreck that needs as much comfort from another psychiatrist point of view.

"What would you do in my position?"

"Deny everything." Hannibal states, picking up his silverware and he begins eating.

"I thought psychic driving would have been more effective in breaking down his personality." Chilton frets, gulping a bit and becoming a bit stiff in his spot, still not making any movement to his plate.

The time that Anastasia has been living with Hannibal in a grandiose lifestyle, she felt that she has developed new personality towards everything it appear. Being around Hannibal, gracious for his hospitality to her, she felt like she has pick up a few of traits relevant to him, such as not pitying anyone anymore, but instead looking at everything in a calculating look. Looking through another lens of seeing things inferior. She knew Hannibal sees everyone around him inferior, therefore, she felt that she might've found herself picking that trait up too.

Furthermost, she didn't feel glum for Dr. Chilton predicament that he has found himself in, but instead, she was beginning to find him a bit nauseated and a bit egotistic, in order to make himself look good. However, it appears that as he got too egotistic with making himself look good for thinking he had the Chesapeake Ripper in his grasps, he had dug his own grave when that wasn't the case.

Glancing at Hannibal, seeing his face emotionless as he ate, she knew that underneath that flawless exterior mask of his that he shows to people around him, that deep down he was thinking of how to destroy Chilton mentally and most likely physically.

"Psychic driving fails because its methods are too obvious. You were trying too hard, Frederick. If force is used, the subject will only surrender temporarily. Once a patient is exposed to the method of manipulation, it becomes much less effective." Hannibal explains, picking away at his plate.

Feeling a gentle touch on her side, Anastasia glances to her left, down at her daughter. Mischa makes a gesture to Anastasia to bend down to her level.

"I'm done, mommy. What do I do?"

"Do you want to excuse yourself or stay here and listen to these men talk?" Anastasia whispers in reply, glancing to the men to see that they were still distracted with each other.

"When Dr. Gideon began to suspect he was being pushed…"

"He pushed back." Hannibal cuts Chilton off making Anastasia to instantly look at Hannibal with raise eyebrows.

Never before has Hannibal cut off someone like that since she knew him or rather in her presence. Therefore, she stares at him, watching as he pick up his homemade glass of beer and brought it towards him.

It felt like the water was bubbling inside Hannibal. That he was getting slightly annoy with Chilton silent cry for helpful advice.

"The subject mustn't be aware of any influence." Hannibal states, lifting the glass of beer to his lips with a mix of supercilious and spiteful look, especially in his eyes.

For some odd reason, Hannibal stating this comment makes Anastasia to believe that it meant more than just a simple statement to the other doctor. For Hannibal is also a psychiatrist with an interesting patient by the name of Will Graham.

With Will being unstable, no intent in telling him that he has a medical problem not a mental problem, Hannibal was easily making Will, Hannibal's 'subject,' a puppet and Hannibal was the puppeteer controlling all the strings.

…**..**

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**Hi Everyone,**

**I hope that you're enjoying your time on reading this story thus far. **

**Please keep on reading and please leave a review!**

**Thank You!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter:** Undeniably Yes

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…**.. Next Day: …..**

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Early in the morning, after Mischa was drop off at school, there was news that Dr. Abel Gideon never made it to the courthouse. Instead, he has escaped the delivery truck that he was in. Not only has he escaped, but killing the guards transporting him and taking one of the guards' necessaries.

With high hormones thanks to being pregnant, Anastasia was making a granular time for herself, thinking of dreadful thoughts about Gideon on the loose and what he would do. But also, it didn't help when Will inform Hannibal that Gideon appear to make way back towards Baltimore.

"Maybe Mischa should be back home."

Hannibal looks up from writing information about the patient he had moments ago before Anastasia enter his office. His eyes move back and forth, watching Anastasia pacing in front of his desk with this maternal, worry look across her face. With the way she was pacing, he wouldn't be surprise if the wood floors would have scruff marks.

"Ana, Mischa is fine. As for you, you should be off your feet and not stressing out. It isn't good for the baby." Hannibal reasons, watching Anastasia move to one of the two leather seats and sits herself in the seat that Hannibal usually sits in and across from his patients.

Leaning her head back, Anastasia stares at the ceiling and knowing that she was overacting. Upon staring up at the ceiling, she didn't know how long she was staring, not blinking, but she must've been in a deep trance because the next moment, when hands were on either side of her stomach, she jumps in her spot.

"You must've been in deep thought." Hannibal was on one knee in front of Anastasia, between her legs and his hands resting on either side of her lower stomach.

Every day, Anastasia notice how Hannibal has a routine of touching her stomach with jovial flickering in his eyes. No matter how immaculate he is appearance wise, no matter how stern he could be, he does show a sense of joy towards Mischa or her and the developing baby bump.

"Appointment at twelve today?"

"Yes, to see how our little one is doing." Anastasia says, watching Hannibal trail his hands up her shirt, pushing it up to show her stomach.

"What are you doing, Ha—Oh! Your nose is cold." Anastasia jumps as the tip of Hannibal's nose presses against her stomach, underneath her bellybutton.

Tilting her head to the side, she watches as Hannibal trails his nose across her lower stomach with his eyes shut and smelling her. She knew that he has inhuman smelling senses, thus, she wasn't going to question him about this weird action.

"Lavender. It's stronger than ever. The little one is healthy." Hannibal breath fans out across her stomach as he informs her this news.

A small smile appears on her lips, watching and realizing that Hannibal was checking the life of their unborn child. Right hand lifting up, she ghost her fingertips across the side of Hannibal jawline before dropping her hand on the arm of the chair she was sitting in.

Opening his eyes, he looks up at her and she sees the flecks of maroon red appearing within them, complementing the prideful smirk.

…**..**

…**.. Evening: …..**

…**..**

After popping some vitamins after dinner, Anastasia was sitting in the lone sofa chair in the corner of the kitchen with a baking book in her hands. Lately, she has been craving to bake something to do with chocolate.

She was thankful that Mai was there when she was a little girl, helping Anastasia to be instructive when it comes to doing domestic and around the home things. Baking used to be a hobby of Anastasia, but it soon stops when she married her ex.

Shutting her eyes, the thought of her ex once again appear into her mind. Everything she does or was going to do, she always goes back to relating it about her ex. Tapping her right pointer finger on the edge of the book, her eyes open back up and she let out a frustrated sigh escape her mouth.

As her eyes were reading over the ingredients to make mint chocolate brownies, she heard this short whistle that repeatedly kept happening every few five seconds.

"What the…" She shuts the book, standing up from the seat and setting the book on the breakfast island. Her hands rest on the breakfast island, tilting her head a bit to the side and listening to the sound.

"What is that noise?"

Turning around, she sees that Hannibal was walking into the kitchen with some flurries of snow melting away in his hair. He was home from his last appointment at his practice building, which was with Will.

"I have no clue. I just heard i—" A thud upstairs makes Anastasia to stop speaking.

Both Hannibal and her look up towards the ceiling then at one another.

"Mischa." They said together, moving towards the stairs to quickly get to the little girl bedroom.

Getting closer, they can hear Mischa talking to someone in a hush voice. Hannibal pushes open the already crack door to show Mischa sitting on the floor beside her desk and talking to her trash barrel.

"Mischa, what are you doing?"

The five year old shoots up from her spot, turning around and using her body to block the trash barrel. Her hands behind her back and she stood pin straight, staring at them with a muster of innocent face.

"Nothing."

"Mischa." Anastasia steps further into the room, eyeing her daughter with a gentle yet stern motherly look.

"Mommy, I can explain. It—" The whistle behind Mischa makes the girl to flinch and stare between Hannibal and Anastasia with a 'oops' face.

Hannibal came forwards making Mischa to bow her head and step aside.

Inside the trash barrel was properly stuff to almost the brim was cotton and rip up newspaper. But what was inside cause Anastasia to gasp out with awe and Hannibal to shut his eyes, breathing out of his nose to not make any repulsive looks or comments towards the small creature.

Staring up at them with big yellow eyes was a Northern Saw-Whet owl. It was a tiny owl that has mostly light brown feather with a mix of white feathers. The owl lets out a small chirp before weakly hopping around.

"Mischa, please explain to me why there is an owl inside the house?" Hannibal opens his eyes and looks down at the guilt-stricken Mischa.

"I was in the backyard after school and I heard a chirping sound behind the bushes. When I look, I found Happy with a hurt wing. I thought that I could save him from being attack by a cat or another wild animal." Mischa looks down at her feet, unsteadily moving on them.

A sigh escapes from Hannibal and he looks over at Anastasia, but was startle when he notices that she was bent down towards the trash barrel and smiling at the tiny owl.

"This owl is the most adorable little animal ever." Anastasia coos, looking up at Hannibal with a smile but it quickly slid off when she saw the seriousness. Slowly, she stands up and she steps back beside Hannibal.

Seeing the conflicted look crossing his face as he glance at the upset Mischa and then the small owl, Hannibal looks at Anastasia for her to take care of this problem with her maternal skills. However, a sly smile slips onto her lips with a twinkle in her eyes.

"You know this is the perfect opportunity for you to work on your paternal skills. Have fun." Anastasia touches Hannibal's hand before walking out of the bedroom with the mischievous smirk and her right hand resting on her developing pregnant stomach.

Turning back to face Mischa, Hannibal met unshed tearful eyes and then the puppy look.

"Practice my paternal skills…lovely."

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

Thuds across the marble floors makes Anastasia to open her eyes and see Hannibal stripping beside the bathtub that she idly, lying back in, soaking up the warm water and bubbles

She only leans forwards as Hannibal steps in behind her then sits himself down with his legs on either side of her body. Anastasia leans back with her back press up against his chest.

"What happen to the owl?"

A sighs escapes Hannibal.

"I had explained to Mischa about how nature has to take its course, which it is the way of life and animals survive if they have the will. However, when she gave me that innocent look, I ended up patching up the wing of the owl, putting it into a box. The owl is downstairs behind the stairs now since Mischa inform me that it was too cold for the injure little owl name Happy."

Biting her lip not to laugh, Anastasia knew that Mischa always gets people to agree with her when she does her puppy look face. Anastasia was getting used to it and thus, not becoming effected by it that much anymore. A slight chuckle escapes her making Hannibal to bury his face into the side of her neck and bite down on the right side of her neck.

Gentle gasp escapes her, an euphoric feeling spreads throughout her body and down to her lower region. As if knowing that he was irresistible to her, he continues his biting assaults on her neck while his hands were trailing down her sides, going up her stomach to her breasts then back down to her lower stomach.

"Laughing at me, Ana?" Hannibal mouth ghosts her ear before making way back to attacking her neck.

Her eyes were shut and her body felt like it was turning into a contortionist as she arches forwards a bit, arms bending back to grasp the upper part of Hannibal thighs and her legs stretching out then bending back towards her body.

Hannibal wraps his arms around underneath her breasts and moves forwards to press the front of his body against her, plastering them together. Before she gets distort in pleasure, she reaches back behind her with her right hand to sink her fingers through the hair on the back of his head.

"Wash up first, Hannibal."

A grunt escapes from him before he grabs a face cloth that she had used, wraps the soap bar in it and begins to scrub his body down in a quick manner. As he done that, Anastasia manage to get out of the bathtub causing him to stare at her with narrow eyes.

Drying herself off with a towel, she stares at him before dropping the towel and walking out of the bathroom, nude and into the master bedroom.

The clank then the sound of water draining makes Anastasia to know Hannibal was right behind. She turns around, enchanted by the sight moving towards her with a feral look. Their sex life was never going to be dreary, but instead doting. For her pregnancy does make Hannibal protective over her, making sure that everything was alright, he appear to enjoy her developing pregnancy and upon touching her stomach, he probably finds her exotic for carrying the life they have created.

As the time goes on, the weeks will pass, there will be a change with how to approach intercourse, especially when she finds her stomach round as a beach ball. For now, though, they did have to adjust to make everything comfortable for Anastasia.

It was a sensitive but in a good way and afterwards as they bask in cloud nine, Hannibal and Anastasia were on their sides, face to face with one another.

"Where did that spare pillow go?" Anastasia mumbles against Hannibal chest pectorals.

Sitting up a bit, Hannibal reaches down to the end of the bed and grabs the pillow that she request for. Grabbing it, he lays back down against her but hands her the pillow, watching her take the pillow and slides it down underneath her hip to incline her up a bit.

"Are you in pain?" Hannibal asks, reaching out to rub his hand down her stomach and to her hips.

"No. It's just comfortable to be incline or have something wedge between my legs."

His eyebrows rose at her choice of words making her to look up at him when he was quiet. She only shakes her head with a grin, knowing that he was thinking of something that'll bring her to some sort of laughter.

Lying there facing one another, Hannibal right hand has unconsciously went to her lower stomach and begins to rub gentle circles there. During his breaks at his practice, he has been reading as much as he could on pregnancy, especially for first time fathers. Being a man that likes to have as much knowledge, there was no doubt on reading everything on expectation of pregnancy and what Anastasia was going through. Yes, his surgeon background, he knew much, but when he found some articles and more books on pregnancy with newly information, he had to quickly update his medical mind.

Thus, massaging Anastasia stomach, Hannibal realizes that it brings her to a relaxing state and soon she begins to drift off into a deep sleeping state.

"Hannibal."

"Hmm?" His eyes slowly open up and he tilts his head only a little to stare into sea foam green eyes.

"Can you tell me something? Be honest."

Those two words at the end of that comment wasn't something he was looking forwards too. Licking his bottom lip, sucking it in a bit, Hannibal lets it go from his teeth and nods his head for her to continue.

"Is there any location of that Dr. Gideon? What is going on?"

"There is no location of where he is or what he is doing for that matter."

"Then what are you going to do about it?"

His head tilts a bit, wanting to know where Anastasia was leading this question. He knew that she has no intentions to upset him, but rather understand what is happening in order to not stress over him. In addition, know what is going on, just in case she is ever ask for her opinion in the matter.

Staring into her eyes, Hannibal knew that the first time he met Anastasia, she was a injure animal, trying to lick her wounds while protecting her kin. But now, staring at Anastasia, seeing what she has become over months of staying with him, understanding and learning about him and his ways. She changed into a bold and seductive and cunning when she needs to be.

Yes, his ways did slowly seep into her skin and she graciously accepts the change because she knew it had made her stronger.

"Claiming he is the Chesapeake Ripper, I know that you aren't going to let that one slide, Hannibal."

A slight ferocious smirks slithers onto his lips, his eyes zealously burning with roguish thoughts. There weren't' directed at Anastasia, but rather what she has proclaim.

"You're going to make a coherent statement towards Dr. Gideon as the Chesapeake Ripper and represent your title."

"If your title was taken away from you Anastasia, what would you do? Would you let someone scruff it up and turn it into something you don't wish to happen or would you let that individual slide and wear your title?"

Her eyes harden a bit at the thought of someone else taking the title of being Mischa mother or being Hannibal companion. That definitely would not slide by her. Her harden eyes stare into his eyes that were mix with vicious mix with desire.

"Get rid of the problem. But in this situation that is happening now, take back the title by coherently messing with Gideon to lure him out. But I know that you want to do much more than just lure him out."

"Indeed. Why not make a collateral damage with a confused profiler getting their hands dirty since they have been getting dirty as a late. Idealistically, unstable mind against unstable mind, one's going to be the inferior to the other." Hannibal proposes, feeling at ease and not insecure while discussing this information with Anastasia, especially since she is the one that was figuring it all out.

"Lure Gideon out, have someone else do the job of getting rid of Gideon, therefore not getting your hands dirty. Someone else does the work for you." Anastasia lowly inquires, her left fingertips trailing up and down his chest pectorals.

"Venus fly trap luring its prey…how unstable is Will Graham becoming?" Anastasia concedes, stopping her hands from caressing Hannibal chest to look back up at him.

"He is incompatible."

"You have the blueprint of Will Graham all laid out, don't you?"

Moving forwards and pressing their bodies against one another, Hannibal bumps his nose against her forehead to make her tilt her head back. He kept enough room between them to keep his hand press against her lower stomach and still making gentle rubs.

"Being honest to you as you stated. To answer your question, undeniably yes." Hannibal answers, bending his head down to place a sultry kiss upon her lips before she could even utter another word.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

**Hello!**

**We are starting to see a change in Anastasia as she starts to become reconstructed back to a whole person again and with Hannibal being there, picking up the pieces and putting them back together, well, Anastasia is definitely going to have changes in her thought process and personality. **

**Enjoy and Thanks For Reading.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter: **Chessboard King

…**..**

…**.. The Next Day: …..**

…**..**

In the second trimester and going onto eighteen weeks in another day, Anastasia body was changing to accustom the unborn child growing within her. Therefore, shopping for new maternity clothes was her goal for today.

After dropping Mischa off at school, Anastasia took the liberty of driving into the busy parts of Baltimore to go shopping. Bundle up in enough winter gear to keep her body and the baby incubated within the warm layers.

For the most part, Anastasia gotten a few maternity shirts and leggings, since those will be the only type of pants she'll be fitting in as her stomach grows. Now, she was in a store that she stumbles across and it was a jackpot. It was newly open and it was all about maternity clothes and baby clothes.

Holding up a wide leg suit type pant, they were loose around the legs and a spandex type waist. As she eyes the pants, she felt eyes on her. Glancing behind her, she didn't see anyone suspicious, only other expecting mothers and the two workers within the place.

Shaking her head, she went back to looking down at the shelves of clothes. Finding tops, pants, dresses and a bathing suit, Anastasia checks out. While walking down the sidewalk with bags in hand, she felt eyes on her again, therefore, she picks up her pace and kept her eyes right on her Aston, park on the other side of the road.

"Excuse me."

Anastasia freezes and glances over her shoulder to see a woman that appears to have a few years on Anastasia. The woman slowly comes up to stand a bit in front of Anastasia with a sophisticated look. She has blonde hair, blue eyes that held curiosity and were scanning over Anastasia.

"Yes?"

"Are you Anastasia Cerise?"

"Who are you?" Anastasia right hand reaches in her pocket, gripping her smartphone just in case she has to speed dial Hannibal.

Seeing how defensive Anastasia was becoming and how quickly her eyes darken to become ferocious, the woman puts on a more relax expression and slightly holds her right hand up to show she was safe.

"I'm Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier."

Letting go of the cellphone, Anastasia slowly blinks as she realizes that she was staring at Hannibal's psychiatrist and it was the first time ever seeing or meeting her. Her eyes went down as Bedelia held a hand out to her.

"Sorry to give you a fright. I couldn't help but wonder if you are her."

"Her?"

"Hannibal does mention you in our sessions." Bedelia admits, shaking hands with Anastasia.

"Shall we go inside this café? We don't need you to be on your feet any longer than you should be and it's a bit frigid out." Bedelia hints while looking to the side at the café that Anastasia Aston Martin Vanquish was park in front of.

…**..**

It was a bit awkward sitting across from Hannibal's psychiatrist, who was very much an intelligent and calculating woman.

Anastasia knew that Bedelia was trying to figure out why Hannibal has taken Anastasia as his companion since Bedelia kept asking questions.

"Do you think that with you pregnant with his child that he is going to change?"

She didn't know how many questions this was, but she was done having it.

"Does Hannibal stir that much curiosity in you? The way he moves around with such grace and so jubilant about whom he is. With your profession, Hannibal is a never-ending jigsaw puzzle, one that makes everyone around him incomparable to himself, hence, idealistically making him very interesting to figure out. To be able to study the way he functions isn't an easy task. The interesting thing about Hannibal that I have notice…" Anastasia pauses as a few customers in the small café walk by and left the place.

Staring at Anastasia, taking in the lovely companion of Hannibal, Bedelia knew the bits and pieces of Anastasia backstory. Only that she has a little girl, that Anastasia was abuse by her ex and that Hannibal took her in, helping her to recover. Upon this knowledge, Bedelia knew that while Anastasia recover with Hannibal, the pregnant woman had definitely absorbed Hannibal methods.

Holding Anastasia stare, Bedelia saw high-level of new energy. Anastasia was someone who has a tougher skin and will have no problem, anymore, to fight if she has to.

"Is how disturbingly well he easily lures anyone he chooses into his domain without them consciously knowing until the very last moment. Everyone is a part of his chessboard and only he controls the pace of the game. Not knowing what he has planned or his next move. Only when the king appears beside you will you know your fate." Anastasia strongly states and staring at Bedelia with a small cynical grin, never faltering her eyes off the blonde headed woman.

With that statement, Bedelia was a bit taken back as Anastasia admits what Hannibal acts like. Bedelia knew that Hannibal was manipulative, but to hear this sort of comment about Hannibal from Anastasia, who is his companion and he honors her, Bedelia can see that Anastasia was slowly molding into one of those chess pieces on Hannibal chessboard.

For Anastasia was molding into his grandiose queen, who will sooner or later be complete and be able to move anywhere across the board, leaving destructive fire in her wake.

If not a chess piece, Bedelia can say that Anastasia has become a phoenix. As Anastasia had fought for her life against her ex, found by Hannibal and taken care of where she change into a stronger woman then she ever was. Anastasia was a phoenix, reborn from the ashes of her old self and now spreading out her wings, capturing everyone by her beauty.

Upon figuring this out about Anastasia, Anastasia was the ironclad for Hannibal. She will be there if he ever needs it. And for that, Bedelia has found an important shiny key that Hannibal holds dear. An asset, a counterpart that is essential to Hannibal. For Bedelia would've never thought that Hannibal could feel affection for anyone.

Anastasia was the holder of Hannibal emotions.

…**..**

…**.. Few Hours Later: …..**

…**..**

Walking into the detail and faultless office, Anastasia sets the bag down on top of Hannibal desk, containing lunch that he left home. Hannibal was in the corner of his office, sitting at his sketching table and working on a new project.

The sound of the charcoal pencil going against the paper appears to be the only sound in the room until Anastasia begins setting up the lunch. Once Anastasia sets up the two containers up, Hannibal looks up at her.

Walking over to him, Hannibal stood up and rests his left hand on her lower back when she got close enough. Her eyes look down at the sketch table to see what sketching work

"You never cease to amaze me." Anastasia whispers, staring at the sketch that Hannibal was working on.

It was her sitting with her right hand on her stomach and Mischa sitting beside her, resting her hand on the developing baby bump and a smile on both of their faces.

"It's almost finish." Hannibal says, leading Anastasia away from it and towards his desk where she set lunch up that they actually prepared together this morning.

Hannibal let her have his desk seat since it was leather and comfortable. He used the wooden wheel seat at his sketch table to sit at.

While biting into a roasted asparagus that was sprinkle with sesame oil and freshly chop walnuts, Anastasia glances through her eyelashes at Hannibal.

"I had a run in with someone today or rather they scouted me out while I was getting maternity clothes."

The fork that was about to stab a slice of cherry tomato pause and amber hazel eyes were now focuses on Anastasia.

"Who?"

"Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier."

Setting down his silverware, Hannibal reaches for the glass of wine that he poured himself. He stares down at the liquid, swirling it and taking a whiff before taking a generous sip. With a light pluck from his lips, he looks at Anastasia with a steady look.

"What did she want?"

"She mostly interrogator me about you."

His tongue ran over the back of his teeth, not liking how Dr. Du Maurier went after Anastasia and then had the audacity to question Anastasia about him behind his back.

"What did you do?"

"Simple answers, nothing to give away. I was prudent and made sure that she still has to figure more about you by asking you. However, I did inform her that you're like a puzzle that she is trying to solve, but you're the ruler of the chessboard." Anastasia tells him, picking up her fork and picking at the herb rub chicken slices over a spinach salad.

Hannibal eyes scan over Anastasia before setting his wine glass down. What Anastasia told him, he knew that Dr. Du Maurier finds him an intriguing subject. His eyes look at Anastasia picking at her dish.

"She did end the interrogation afterwards. She seems a bit humble and insecure as she stared at me." Anastasia picks at the spinach and she looks up at Hannibal.

"You don't realize how much you have evolve, Ana, that you are starting to make people second guess themselves and start to walk on egg shells around you." Hannibal smirks, reaching out and resting his hand upon her hand that didn't have the fork in hand.

"Stronger than ever, Ana." Hannibal tells her making her to give him a small kindhearted smile.

"Now, let's continue to eat and also, I have been reading through articles about exercises." Hannibal slides his hand away from hers and he picks up his silverware.

"Yeah, I was thinking about going back into yoga but pregnancy class ones."

"If I may kindly remind you, Ana, but yoga is what made you go to the hospital in the first place." Hannibal kindly points out making her to bite her tongue to not say any stark comment back at him.

"You're blood pressure is lower than usual during the second trimester, thus, nothing to do with lying on your back unless a exercise ball or pillow is underneath. Swimming?"

"Yes, I do enjoy swimming when I was pregnant with Mischa." Anastasia says, but she mostly emphasize on the part about her being pregnant before.

Then again, she should light up about Hannibal medical information on her pregnancy or anything he wishes to try because this is his first child and her second. She knows what to expect, but listening to how Hannibal is interest in this unborn baby, she decide to let him do what he must.

"And also, are you doing Kegels exercise to strength the muscles in your pelvic region?"

That is when she looks down at her plate and begins to eat her food. Glancing up through her dark eyelashes, she sees Hannibal eating his meal but staring right back at her.

"Yes, I'm doing kegels exercise." Anastasia flashes him a grin before finishing up her lunch, her face was heating a bit up at the thought.

Once they were finish and cleaning up, or mostly Hannibal cleaning up, Anastasia couldn't help but rest her hand on his forearm. He pauses in zipping up the lunch bag and stares up at her with wonder.

"Hannibal, how much have you been reading?"

"Anything I can get my hands on, Ana."

"Thought so."

"Overwhelming you?" Hannibal rests his hands on her sides, holding her close to him. He grins as he notices that the developing baby bump has stopped them from being plaster against each other.

"More like a reminder."

"I apologize."

"Don't be. I actually find it very cute that you're like this." Anastasia grins at him, pulling away to grab the lunch bag and sling it over her right shoulder, carrying it like a purse.

"Cute?" Hannibal eyebrows rose as he follows her to the door, knowing that his patient will be outside the waiting room in a minute.

"Yes. Take it as a compliment, Hannibal." Anastasia turns to him, leaning up on her tippy toes to give him a quick peck. She turns to the door and opens it up, stepping out with Hannibal closely behind her.

Upon seeing the patient in the waiting room, her eyebrows rose at who it was.

"Hello, Mrs. Crawford."

"Anastasia. I see that you are developing. Dr. Lecter here told Jack the news. Congratulations." Mrs. Crawford slowly gets off the couch and steps to Anastasia with a weak grin.

"Thank you. Hopefully this child comes right out. Mischa kept me in labor for seven hours before making her way into the world." Anastasia says making the two women before Hannibal to smile and gently laugh.

"I have to go now. Got to pick up the said Mischa. Good day, Mrs. Crawford. Hannibal, see you tonight." Anastasia sends a warmhearted smile before walking towards the practice building doors.

Once Anastasia was gone, Hannibal steps aside with his left hand on the door knob and he holds his other arm out to gesture Mrs. Crawford into the room.

"Evening, Mrs. Crawford."

"Dr. Lecter."

Shutting the door behind her, Hannibal walks to his desk to pull out his appointment book to recheck it to see his next few appointments while Mrs. Crawford was settling herself in the patient seat.

"Anastasia looks good. She is radiating with pregnancy and knows how to strut it off too." Mrs. Crawford looks at Hannibal saying with a genuine grin.

"Indeed." Hannibal grins, agreeing with how well Anastasia braces pregnancy that she does appear to glow.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

It was like catching a child going into the cookie jar, except Hannibal wasn't a child and he was nowhere innocent to just go into a cookie jar.

Trying to be hidden through the house, especially entering at almost midnight was Hannibal. Upon entering the kitchen, moving around it in the dark with no problem as he has everything memorize, he plug in his cellphone and went to leave the kitchen to head upstairs.

Until the lights turn on, blinding him a bit and causing him to rapidly blink to clear up his eyes.

When his eyes adjust to the sudden bright lights, his eyes landed on Anastasia sitting in the sofa chair in the corner of the kitchen, near the wine cellar door. In her hand, she was munching on a pickle making him to know that she must've got up craving a pickle and happen to notice he wasn't in bed.

"You know, it actually is hard trying to fall asleep without your there. It's weird cause that never happens before. Must be your massages on my tummy." Anastasia says before taking a bite into the pickle with a cool expression.

"Ana, I apologize."

"Who was it Hannibal?"

"Who?"

"You're not the only one to look up Lounds blogs and stay updated." Anastasia reaches to her side, pulling out of the cushion her surface tablet.

"As you said Ana, I'm going to lure the fish in. Though, with Ms. Lounds being caught by Dr. Gideon, why not lure the bigger fish to Dr. Gideon." Hannibal admits, stepping closer to her while keeping a compose posture.

"The FBI, but Will." Anastasia mumbles, setting her tablet on the side again while finishing off the pickle that she has been carving all night.

As she stands up, she shuts her eyes and breaths out. Hannibal immediately steps to her and rests his hands on either of her arm biceps. He holds her in place, knowing that she was feeling a bit lightheaded for getting up too quick. With her blood pressure lower then it usually is thanks to be in the second trimester of being pregnant, getting up quickly can cause dizziness or becoming lightheaded as it appears she is experiencing at the moment.

"Ana?"

"I'm fine. Got up too quick and I'm tire."

"Come. Let's get you back to bed." Hannibal says, leading her towards the stairs but they both pause when the doorbell ranged.

"What the hell?" Anastasia blurts out, letting Hannibal lead her back to the chair in the kitchen before mumbling something underneath his breath in his native language that wasn't directed towards her.

He walks with long strides to the front door and opens it up with a stoic expression. However, his eyebrows rose upon seeing Will holding Dr. Gideon at gunpoint on the front steps.

Hannibal didn't think that Jack and his team would solve the body that Hannibal killed off, matching Dr. Gideon work, and this quick. Then again, with Will on the team, that was a different story.

Not saying anything, Hannibal lets the two into his home and shuts the door behind them.

Hannibal leads them into the dining room, watching Will shove Dr. Gideon into the head of the table seat while keeping him at gunpoint. Hannibal eyes glance down the hallway, seeing Anastasia sitting in the sofa chair with a disbelief look as she seen the whole thing.

Turning away from looking at Anastasia, Hannibal turns his attention on Will, who was shaking in his spot, faltering and his eyes were rapidly moving. His eyelids were fluttering too quickly also. Hannibal knew that Will's sickness was catching up to him and causing him to be uncertain about what he is seeing and decisions.

With caution, Hannibal steps closer to Will with a calculative and wary look, especially with Will having a gun shaking in his hand.

"Will?"

"I feel like I'm losing my mind. I—I don't know what's real." Will admits, taking inhales of air and profusely sweating.

Keeping a compose posture, Hannibal casually un-cuffs the cuff links on his left wrist and pushes the cuff up to take a look at his watch. Since Hannibal has been making Will doing these exercise of reminding himself who he is, the time and where he is at the moment, if Will ever think he is in a hallucination of some kind.

"It's seven twenty-seven pm. You're in Baltimore, Maryland, and your name is Will Graham." Hannibal was saying, cuffing his suit cuffs back together.

"No, I don't care who I am! Just tell me…if he's real." Will snaps, turning his attention in the direction of where Dr. Gideon was sitting and lifting his arm up with the gun. The gun was shakily pointed right at Dr. Gideon, who sat a bit upright in his seat upon having a gun pointed at him and by an unstable and ill Will.

"Who do you see, Will?" Hannibal inquiries, starting to see how the advance encephalitis in Will was affecting him.

"Garret Jacob Hobbs. Who do you see?" Will answers then asks; keeping the gun train on Gideon, but Will's posture was faltering and weakening by the second.

Not answering right away, Hannibal takes a glance over at Dr. Gideon and seeing how the man was keeping a stoic look. Looking away from Dr. Gideon, Hannibal looks back to the heavily panting and sweaty Will and decides to make his next move across the playing field. With great intention of questioning his sanity and morality afterwards and in order to pull the right strings where Will is going to be the one suffering in the end, Hannibal stares at the back of Will's head.

"I don't see anyone." Hannibal casually lies, clasping his hands in front of him.

"No, he's right there." Will croaks out, the frustration mix with upset was clear in his voice.

Anastasia was press against and hidden behind the wall, near the corner, watching everything unfold. She was seeing how Will medical problem was making Hannibal to manipulate him and second guess himself.

"There's no one there, Will."

"No, no, you're lying."

"We're alone. You came here alone. Do you remember coming here?" Hannibal tries to assure Will, managing to persuade Will's mind into thinking no one was there.

"No, please don't lie to me!" Will cries out, dropping his arm with the gun to his side and taking in and out intakes of breaths.

"Garret Jacob Hobbs is dead. You killed him. You watched him die."

"What's happening to me?" Will exclaims, aggressive running his right hand up his face and gripping it, trying to hold in his frustrated tears while at the same time trying to catch his breath.

All the while, Anastasia watches speechless at how ill Will was. While Dr. Gideon was glancing in between Hannibal and Will, mostly Hannibal, trying to figure out why Hannibal was lying to Will.

"Will. Will, you're having an episode. I want you to hand me the gun. Will, I want you to hand me your…Will? Will." Hannibal stays, a hint of concern coming into his tone as Will drops his hand from his face.

Rooted to the spot, eyes rolling back, shaking while taking short breaths was Will. He was beginning to shake a lot and his breaths were short.

Hannibal quickly snatches the gun from Will, setting it aside before he went back to checking over Will. He grasps his face, looking closely to see Will's eyes rolled back and Hannibal made sure that Will didn't swallow his tongue.

Stepping away from him, Hannibal picks the gun up and puts the safety on as he walks to the other head chair at the end of the table.

"He had a mild seizure." Hannibal calmly states, staring at the gun before setting it down at the end of the table.

"That doesn't seem to bother you." Dr. Gideon slowly points out, wondering why Hannibal was perfectly calm at this emergency moment.

"I said it was mild." Hannibal recalls, staring down Dr. Gideon with a serious look.

Pulling the chair out at the end of the table, Hannibal sat himself down and clasps his hands on top of the table. He looks across the table, parallel to him, right at Dr. Gideon with perfect imperturbable composure.

"Are you the man who claimed to be the Chesapeake Ripper?"

Leaning back against the wall, Anastasia turns her head to stare right at Hannibal. She knew that if he looks to his right, he will be staring directly at her. While Dr. Gideon doesn't know she is right there, hiding behind the corner that leads into the kitchen.

"Why do you say 'claimed'?"

"Because you're not. You know you're not, and you don't know much more about who you are beyond that." Hannibal strictly avows, not blinking as he stares at the man that thinks he can wear Hannibal title.

Biting her tongue, Anastasia shuts her eyes and was waiting for Hannibal to just snap. He could end Dr. Gideon right now, put an end to Dr. Gideon thinking that he is the Ripper and thus, letting Hannibal to rein his title himself.

Opening her eyes, Anastasia knew that Hannibal always has to put a twist on things.

"Are you the Ripper?"

"A terrible thing. To have your identity taken from you." Hannibal doesn't answer the question, but instead directing into a new topic.

"Well, I'm taking it back, one piece at a time. You should see the pieces I got out of my psychiatrist."

"Alana Bloom was one of your psychiatrists too. Is that right?"

Upon the name, Anastasia eyebrows raise and she was staring down Hannibal with curiosity. Now, she was really wondering what he has planned.

"Yes. Dr. Bloom."

A few seconds pass, Hannibal glancing at Will before looking back at Dr. Gideon again.

"I can tell you where to find her." Hannibal says.

Anastasia pushes her away from the dining room and back in the kitchen upon hearing Dr. Gideon getting up from his seat. Hannibal stood up too, but not without glancing a bit to the side and right at her.

She stares back before silently moving further into the kitchen and near the breakfast island, out of anyone's view.

A few minutes pass before the front door shut and the footsteps of Hannibal comes into the kitchen to re-grab his coat and car keys. He glances at Anastasia with a wink before leaving the kitchen.

She sat herself down in the seat again, knowing that Dr. Gideon was gone now. Though, she looks up again as Hannibal comes into the kitchen to grab his phone, jacket on and looking ready to go.

Anastasia slowly gets up from the seat and walks to him since he was leaning on the counter for a few moments.

Her head tilts to the side before looking towards the hallway where she hears the front door shut.

"Come." Hannibal walks back into the dining room where his car keys were gone and the gun too.

With Will taking the bait to go after Dr. Gideon to Alana Bloom home, Hannibal knew that Will's affection for Alana mix with needing medical attention since it is making him unstable, Will was going to try to kill Dr. Gideon before it was too late.

"Will is after Dr. Gideon."

"Yes." Hannibal says, pulling off his coat and folding it onto the dining room chair.

Anastasia went to grab it to go put it away, but Hannibal wraps his right arm around her waist while setting his cellphone down onto the dining room table.

"You don't have to put my things away. Jack will be calling soon enough to have a chat with me about Will."

"You think that Will is going to perform what you plan immaculately?" Anastasia let Hannibal lead her towards the staircase, slowly walking up the steps together.

"Yes." Hannibal answers, confident that his plan will work.

They ended up in the bedroom were Hannibal makes sure that Anastasia lies in bed and to be well rested. He sits on the edge of the bed with his left hand on her stomach and slowly rubbing her stomach.

The house phone on his nightstand went off making Anastasia to look at it then at him with raise eyebrows. He got up, walks around the bed and picks up the cordless phone to read the caller ID.

"It's Jack." Hannibal states, hitting the green answer button and bringing the phone up to his ear.

"I can't believe it." Anastasia whispers, staring at Hannibal as he walks around the bedroom and talking with Jack in a hush tone.

When Hannibal hung up, setting the phone back on the dock, he looks at her with raise eyebrows.

"Will has shot Dr. Gideon at Alana's home outside. He is now at the hospital being treated for his fever. Now, Jack wants me to visit him and discuss more about Will."

"This late?"

"Yes." Hannibal comes to her side of the bed, placing his left hand on the side of her head and bending down to brush his lips against her own.

When he pulls back, they were staring one another in the eyes.

"Get some sleep, Ana. I'll try to be back as soon as possible."

"I can't believe how good you are."

HIs eyebrows rose as he stands up straight.

"Meaning?"

"Flawlessly executing what you had planned. Definitely the king of the chessboard." Anastasia stares with disbelief and awe, wondering what the capability of intelligence and manipulative skills Hannibal truly was.

Hannibal couldn't help but bend back down and give her a deep kiss before pulling away, straightening out his suit.

As he left the bedroom, he shuts off the lights and shuts the door behind him, Hannibal walks down the house hallway with a victorious smirk and letting Anastasia words sink in of how he was the king of the board.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter:** Daze

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The waft of something mouthwatering reaches Anastasia's nose that manage to cause her body to unconsciously walk into the direction of the aroma.

She finds herself walking to the kitchen.

Upon entering the luxurious kitchen, Anastasia comes upon the sight of Mischa standing on top of a stool in her own little pink apron with Hannibal standing beside her. He is stirring whatever was in the pot with a wooden spoon.

A grin comes onto Anastasia lips when she sees the sight before her of the two. Happiness could not help but flood throughout Anastasia body as she is amaze every time at how perfect Hannibal is towards Mischa. He is not exactly the individual that tolerates children, but when it comes to Mischa, his personal changes to one of caring. Soon, he will have to really be a loving person when his own child comes into the world in a few months.

"Something smells delicious."

Mischa looks up with a wide smile. Hannibal keeps stirring the contents in the pot with a smirk lacing upon his lips.

"We're making soup for Will." Mischa informed her mother before her eyes went back to watching Hannibal continuous stirring.

"Oh? Is that so?" Anastasia walks around the breakfast island where the surface has the stove built into it.

Anastasia stands on the other side of Hannibal and looks up at him. He glances down at her in the corner of his eyes, looking her over before his attention is back into the pot.

With a few more stirs, Hannibal sets the wooden spoon aside and he picks up to bowl shaped containers and begins to fill them up. He caps the two before he walks to the cabinet where he grabs two regular bowls and brings it back over to the pot where he fills those bowls up too.

Once filled, Hannibal gently slides the bowl fill with soup towards Anastasia. She smiles at him before she looks down at the soup seeing all sorts of vegetables and what appear to be a black bone chicken in the broth. Grabbing the two bowls, she looks over to Mischa, who hops down from the stool and she grabs the spoons that Hannibal holds out to her.

"Come on, Mischa. Let's go eat this in the dining room." Anastasia softly said.

"Okay!" Mischa nodded before running off ahead of Anastasia.

Anastasia gently laughs while carefully carrying the two bowls.

Hannibal watches as the two females leave the kitchen and disappear out of his sight. Those two females had managed to weave themselves into his cold personal that he hides from others with a 'normal' mask.

Before Anastasia had disappeared around the corner and into the dining room, Hannibal eyes did flicker down to her developing round stomach where his daughter or son is growing.

Soon another will be weaving their way into him.

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Hours passed after having a sort of chicken soup for lunch.

Hannibal left the house after Anastasia and Mischa had been situated with eating their lunch. He went off to bring Will some of the soup too.

Last night, Will had gone after Dr. Abel Gideon and shot the man before Will, himself, collapsed with a fever that had him rushed to the hospital. Thus, Hannibal gone to the hospital with food to make this caring side appear to Will.

Anastasia told Hannibal before that she found him as the king of the chessboard. He controls everyone and Will Graham is one of Hannibal's pieces. Anastasia at first saw Will as a pawn piece, but then she begins to think of Will's role as an investigator and how he risk his health to solve cases. Therefore, Anastasia thinks the knight piece fits Will's personality.

Now, hours were passing and Anastasia finds herself sitting Indian style on the living room floor beside Mischa. At the moment, Anastasia is helping Mischa with writing long sentences about the pictures that are shown above the lines.

As Anastasia reach forwards to tell Mischa to fix one of her words, she stops herself as a fluttering feeling in her stomach makes her to gasp out in reflex. Mischa eyes instantly widen upon her mother gasping out and staring at her stomach. She felt like something as wrong and it was making her very nervous, very quickly.

"Mommy?"

"The baby."

"Is the baby okay, mommy?" Mischa asked while getting onto her hands and knees to crawl closer to her mother's side.

Reaching out with her small right hand, Mischa lies her hand upon her mother's hand that was resting on her five month pregnant stomach.

Slowly, but surely, a smile comes onto Anastasia lips and she grabs hold of Mischa. She moves her daughter's small hand around her stomach before resting Mischa right hand underneath her bellybutton.

"Relax your body and focus. Tell me what you feel." Anastasia softly instructed Mischa.

Shutting her eyes, Mischa relaxes her body like her mother told her to do and she felt light as a feather after a few deep inhales then exhales.

And that is when Mischa felt it.

There is a small fluttering feeling against her hand causing Mischa's eyes to snap open and a wide, excited smile onto her lips. Her eyes instantly look up to her mother's, who was nodding her head at Mischa to assure her that it was the baby.

"Mommy, I felt him or her!" Mischa excitedly exclaimed.

Once Mischa screamed her excitement, the front door of the house is heard opening then shutting. Mischa instantly shoots up from her kneeling position and she runs out of the living room. Anastasia went to yell for her to come back, but stops herself upon hearing Mischa screaming her excitement once again.

"ANNI! THE BABY MOVE!"

Laughter bubbles out of Anastasia mouth upon Mischa expressing her excitement to Hannibal, who has finally arrive home after five hours.

Pairs of feet were heard reentering the living room making Anastasia to look up to see Mischa crawling back over and touching Anastasia stomach again. Hannibal walks around the two and he crouches down on the other side of Anastasia with a smirk and amused twinkle to his eyes.

"I have been informed quite enthusiastically that the baby has been moving."

"Indeed, the little one has." Anastasia reaches out for Hannibal.

She grabs his left hand he she brings it onto the spot where she had Mischa hand upon earlier.

"You have to be relax and to focus on feeling the movement."

Hannibal looks into Anastasia eyes, seeing this motherly glow in them. He keeps his hand gently on her stomach and he looks down at his hand when he feels a flutter.

This wave of pride of creating a child boost his ego. An animal instinct deep within him would being howling out in a proudly manner of producing an heir. The feeling of his son or daughter actively moving makes Hannibal to also feel a slight relief that their child is healthy.

The corner of his lips twitch up into a smile as the baby continue to make flutter movements against his hand as if the baby knew that his or her father is giving them attention by touch.

"Would you look at that?" Hannibal lowly said, intrigued at the way of life too.

"Tomorrow at the appointment, shall we find out the sex of the baby or no?"

"YES!" Mischa shouted from the other side of Anastasia causing Hannibal and Anastasia to look over at the five year old with raised eyebrows.

"Well, that answers that." Hannibal chuckled, looking at Anastasia as she nods her head and she rests her left hand on top of Hannibal's hand.

"Indeed, it does."

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While Mischa is finishing up homework, Anastasia follows Hannibal into the kitchen where he is making tea.

As the water boils, Hannibal is unpacking the empty containers that were once filled with soup and he begins to wash them out in the sink.

"How was the hospital visit? How's Will doing?"

"He is recovering quicker than usual. The doctors are keeping him overnight again to make sure that his fever does not come back." Hannibal answered her as he continues washing out the containers with soap and water.

"Hopefully, he'll be fine."

"Yes, hopefully." Hannibal said, glancing over his shoulder to give Anastasia a tiny grin before he turns back to the skin, the grin instantly slides off his face.

"I'm going to check up on Mischa before she starts writing a story instead of sentences." Anastasia informed Hannibal before she leaves the kitchen.

Hannibal pulls the containers out of the sink and places them onto the drying rack. He pulls the plug to empty the water from the sink and he grabs a kitchen towel to wipe his hands dry.

Walking to the French doors in the kitchen, Hannibal kept wiping his hands while staring out at the snow cover backyard. His thoughts are wondering to Will in the hospital, but also, the woman in the hospital named Georgina Manchen, who was the killer in the case that Will solve a week ago.

The woman is also the one that entered Dr. Edward Sutcliffe office where Hannibal had been sawing his face in half with scissors. While Will was in another room doing an MRI again without Hannibal's knowledge. Hannibal remembers staring at Georgina Manchen and she had stared back at him, but the mental illness that she had made her unable to recognition a person face. Hannibal simply handed Georgina the scissor and left the office, leaving behind the crime scene for Will to later on find.

Opening his eyes, not realizing he had shut them, Hannibal sees some flurries falling outside. His thoughts once again in a thinking process, but this time the thought of his plan going through at the hospital.

Not only had he went to visit Will and brought him a heartwarming soup, Hannibal brought in a plastic comb. Since Georgina Manchen had been caught and placed within a oxygenated isolation chamber to treat her skin because she suffer from Cotard's syndrome; believing that she is dead, but obviously wasn't. Having those thoughts, she let her body go and her skin was very fragile to touch.

Hannibal had easily got into the room, leaving a comb in the slot that once shut, it goes into the chamber. If his plan falls through, Georgina will brush her hair, cause static electricity with her hair and that will cause a spark within the oxygen chamber; thus, leading into a fire within the chamber and she cannot escape.

All there needs to be done is a news report about the incident or a simple message from Jack or Will stating what happen.

Folding the kitchen towel up, Hannibal sets it on the kitchen countertop and walks out of the kitchen. He goes to the living room and he stands in the doorway, watching the two females on the floor with Mischa homework spread out around them.

They were innocent; Anastasia to an extent.

There is this protectiveness that Hannibal has over to the two females and the little one on the way. He didn't need them to be drag down into the manipulative game he is creating for Will and everyone else. He would never tie puppet strings on Anastasia; to do what he wishes for her to do. No, Hannibal wants to keep Anastasia and Mischa living a perfectly normal life. He does have to hope that he doesn't bring trouble to them. He does not need a Pandora's Box going on. If so, Caius and Mia—surprisingly to Hannibal—have a backup plan to get them to safety without Will or Jack knowing.

Anastasia and Mischa became an important piece in Hannibal's life. He does not need anyone to fuck it up for him. They are his second chance at protecting what is valuable and meaningful for him. He couldn't protect his little sister back then, but he knows he can do it now when it comes to Anastasia, Mischa and the soon to be his own child.

"Hannibal?"

Rapidly blinking, realizing that he has been going into a lot of deep daze states, Hannibal stares right at Anastasia, who is looking at him with concern.

"Yes?"

"You look like you were entering the twilight zone. I just want to see if you were okay."

"Perfect." Hannibal flashes Anastasia a reassuring grin making her to slowly nod back, showing that she is not believing him.

Hannibal excuses himself to his study and he walks out of the living room.

Anastasia stares at the spot that Hannibal had once stood and she begins to believe that something big is going to happen soon, especially if it got Hannibal Lecter in a deep daze of thoughts.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**It has been a while, hasn't it?**

**Anyways, here is a chapter and we are getting close to the end of the first season. **

**This chapter is more of seeing a family side, but also, seeing how Hannibal is managing to learn to be a family person, but also, how he is managing to keep messing with dear Will.**

**Enjoy and review.**

**Thank You! **


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